Five Things Employees Need to Know to Prevent Heat Stress Injuries
Heat stress illnesses are a recognized and preventable workplace hazard.
- By Karen D. Hamel
- Mar 01, 2022
From increased hydration and decreased work intervals to cooling shelters and core temperature checks, planning ahead when employees will need to work in extreme heat is essential in reducing risk. Whether planning is seasonal for outdoor workers, or year-round for indoor tasks in hot conditions, the engineering, administrative and other controls that are put in place provide a framework for working safely when the temperature and humidity cause many others to move indoors and jack up the air conditioning.
Heat-related illnesses are a recognized and preventable workplace hazard. In fact, OSHA issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking addressing this issue in October 2021 with the hope of having a final rule in place to protect all workers covered under federal OSHA. Some states already have regulations in place, such as Carolina, Washington and Oregon. In 2022, OSHA has included heat-related illness as one of their national emphasis programs.
Facility plans may be thorough, but like any other health and safety plan, that is no guarantee of effectiveness. To truly help reduce the risk of heat stress injuries and fatalities, the employees who will be performing work duties in extreme conditions need to know what to expect as well as what actions they will need to take should they find themselves, or a co-worker suffering a heat-related illness or injury.
Typically, most employees won’t need to understand or explain what the wet bulb globe temperature is to stay safe. They may also never need to solve a heat balance equation. They do, however, need to be taught about heat stress hazards and how to prevent illness or death when working in extremely hot conditions.
Environmental Factors
For many, the heat index is an initial indicator that heat may be a factor in their daily routines. In a report, the National Weather Service (NWS) identified 20 different elements that can be factored into the heat index. No true equation for the heat index exists because of the number of variables, but two elements that are constant in any heat index equation are air temperature and humidity.
When workers will be working in direct sunlight, and if there is no wind, the heat index broadcast by a local weatherperson may not provide enough protection. Wet bulb globe temperatures, allowances for PPE and adjustments for heavy physical exertion need to be factored in to ensure that work and rest periods are appropriate.
This article originally appeared in the March 1, 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.