Use NAHB Resources to Keep Workers Safe in Dangerous Heat
As heat waves move across wide areas of the United States, it is important for home builders and general contractors to have plans and resources in place to keep workers and subcontractors safe on the jobsite.
OSHA has also announced that it has begun a rulemaking on “heat injury and illness prevention” that may result in a new standard for construction. Although NAHB and its partners in the Construction Industry Safety Coalition are actively engaged in the process, home builders should be prepared for more stringent requirements in the near future.
NAHB has numerous resources available to residential construction professionals to help protect workers from excessive heat, including the video below and accompanying handout.
With such extreme early season heat, many workers will suffer from a lack of acclimatization, meaning their bodies simply are not yet accustomed to high heat. During this dangerous time, the most serious heat illness is heat stroke. Symptoms of heat stroke include:
- Confusion, disorientation, slurred speech, unable to think clearly, collapse, unconsciousness or potential seizures.
- No sweating.
If a worker is experiencing heat stroke, cool them immediately and call 911.
More tips to keep workers safe on the jobsite can be found in the NAHB Heat Stress Safety Toolkit.
Sponsored by
Latest from NAHBNow
Membership | Economics
Sep 11, 2026
Median Revenue Flat for NAHB Builder Members in 2025
According to the most recent NAHB member census, nearly two-fifths (38%) of NAHB Builder members earned between $1 million and $5 million in total revenue in 2025.
Education | Education at IBS
Sep 10, 2026
13 IBS Education Presentation Replays Now Available
To help industry professionals stay ahead of residential construction trends and bring actionable ideas to their businesses, NAHB is offering members exclusive access to the most valuable IBS Education sessions from the 2026 show.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Sep 10, 2026
Energy Prices Rise Again in August
Residential building material prices, excluding energy, rose 0.2% in August and were up 5.1% from a year ago. Energy prices rose sharply in August, as prices for energy inputs to residential construction rose 6.6% over the month.
Economics
Sep 09, 2026
Mortgage Applications Decline for Sixth Straight Month in August
Mortgage application activity continued to decline in August as elevated US treasury yields pushed mortgage rates higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, declined 3.2% month-over-month in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, marking the sixth consecutive monthly decline.
Economics
Sep 09, 2026
Who Are NAHB’s Builder Members?
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) conducts an annual census to better understand the composition and characteristics of its members. In 2025, 35% of NAHB’s membership was comprised of builder members—single-family and multifamily builders, residential and commercial remodelers, commercial builders, land developers, and manufacturers of modular/panelized/log homes.