Air-Conditioned Jackets Combat Extreme Heat for Tokyo Construction Workers

Combating Extreme Heat in Tokyo

• 🌡️ Temperatures in Tokyo have surpassed 95°F (35°C), making it a significant workplace hazard, especially for construction workers.
• 🏗️ Dao Trust Construction is equipping its workers with custom-made air-conditioned jackets to mitigate the risks of heat stroke.

Innovative Cooling Technology

• 💨 The jackets feature cooling fans on the back and round thermoelectric devices near the armpits that generate a cooling effect.
• 💡 Workers report feeling a significant difference, experiencing less sweat, maintaining physical strength, and having a lower body temperature upon returning home.

Workplace Heat Stroke Risks

• ⚠️ Construction workers accounted for nearly 20% of workplace heat stroke deaths or illnesses in 2023.
• 📈 The overall number of heat stroke cases at work has more than doubled in the past decade, highlighting the increasing severity of the issue.

Government and Company Measures

• 📜 The Japanese government has implemented new labor safety regulations requiring companies to adopt heat stroke protection measures.
• 📡 Beyond jackets, Dao Trust Construction also uses a live camera and weather meter to monitor the heat index in real-time at their construction sites.
• 👷 Workers like Takami Okamura note the shift from not having such protective gear to it becoming a necessity due to rising temperatures.