The construction industry in 2016 saw an “unbelievable” increase in defibrillator use at jobsites, according to attorney Howard Mavity of Fisher Phillips. He cited three main factors: an unusually hot summer, obesity and an aging workforce.

One of those – workers’ ages – can’t be readily controlled (though the industry has dedicated considerable energy to recruiting younger workers), but employers can and should do more to aid wellness efforts that combat cardiovascular disease, Mavity said.

Historically, it’s been left to employers to determine whether a heart attack is a workplace fatality. To this end, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration record-keeping rules mandate that employees report heart attacks to OSHA to allow it to determine whether the condition is work-related.

“This is a ticking time bomb of extraordinary proportions,” Mavity said.

But society is becoming more aware of the link between work and personal health, he said. Hot environments in particular can be hazardous to employees.

Construction is among the top 10 occupations in prevalence of heart disease or stroke in people younger than 55, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in three deaths in America is the result of cardiovascular disease – such as a heart attack or a stroke.

For one, the average age of construction workers has been ticking up since the Great Recession. The median age of workers in many construction crafts is now in the 50s. Plus, the CDC estimates that about one-third of American adults are obese, and the rate is slowly increasing.

But the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t make it easy for employers to confront employees regarding their personal health. That’s why the federal government is pushing Total Worker Health initiatives to promote “holistic” employee wellness, with ample focus on diet and exercise. Also, the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center offers materials to help employers evaluate and address workers’ health issues.

One way to fight heart disease is by going after tobacco use, a known contributor. Construction workers are more likely to smoke than are other people, according to the CDC. Among construction and extraction industries, 20.7 percent of people smoke, versus 14.4 percent of the general population.

Officials also are continuing to push the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which are used to shock the heart of a person experiencing cardiac arrest back into rhythm. Because they can be used by laypeople, the devices are commonly placed in workplaces or other public spaces.

Oregon law does require placement of defibrillators at some jobsites – though not construction sites. They include health clubs and “places of public assembly.”

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