Excessive heat injuries occur more frequently than records capture. Therefore, a proper heat safety plan is essential to an overall safety program.
Heat injuries generally happen when your body can no longer cool down at a reasonable rate. Once your internal temperature reaches 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, you are at high risk of heat stress. Jobs requiring you to work in high temperatures, with high humidity, near hot machinery and involving strenuous activity are the most vulnerable to heat stress.
Safety professionals need to know the contributing factors of heat stress, signs that workers are beginning to experience heat stress and how to prevent such incidents. As the temperature rises, chances of falling and mishandling machinery are likely. High temperatures do not only affect workers in outdoor settings. Workers in warehouses, fabrication shops and manufacturing facilities are also at risk of heat illness due to heat from machinery and required PPE. Common symptoms are dizziness, cramps, confusion, muscle weakness and fainting. If any of your workers experience confusion, you should treat it with urgency.
Age, body mass index, humidity, physical activity, medications, alcohol use, proximity to hot equipment and clothing could lead to heat injuries. However, dehydration is the most common contributing factor. An adequate water supply should be available at all jobsites, but regularly drinking water is often not enough after working in extreme temperatures. As an avid marathon runner, I understand the importance of electrolyte replenishment for staying safe. The same is true for working in the elements. Providing your team with essential electrolytes is a critical component of hydration. The key to staying hydrated is getting a jump-start long before the marathon or workday begins. When workers get a jump-start on hydration levels, they decrease the risk of succumbing to heat-related illness and don’t have to play “catch up.” Even if you work indoors, you are still at risk of dehydration due to protective gear and poor ventilation.
Acclimatizing yourself to your working environment is also critical for heat illness prevention. Between 50-percent and 70-percent of heat injuries occur within the first few hours of work. Workers who are gradually introduced to extreme elements can handle the heat better. The ratio of working to resting needs to be adjusted according to each employee’s age, fitness level, work intensity and climate conditions. The more intense the sun and humidity, the longer and more frequent the breaks need to be. Unacclimated workers need extended rest periods. These breaks are critical when your work schedule involves working during the hottest part of the day or in areas with poor ventilation. If you are outdoors, you should seek shaded areas during break periods. If you are indoors, your breaks should be in an area with air conditioning or sufficient airflow.
Safety managers should consider implementing items like umbrellas, canopies, trees and temporary structures into their safety program for shaded break areas. The shade should block direct sunlight and allow workers a place to replenish lost fluids. Misting systems can reduce temperatures by 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit. A temporary structure with air conditioning or an evaporative cooling system might be worth the investment because the cost of heat-related injuries would exceed the cost of these preventive measures.
Another preventive measure for heat stress is body-cooling technology. This could be as simple as an ice vest or more sophisticated, like body-cooling PPE. Evaporative cooling PPE activates with water and draws heat away from the body. This cooling effect can last for hours. Other body-cooling technologies work by absorbing sweat. Common examples are: towels and headbands to keep workers dry and cool.
Heat can never be eliminated entirely, but you should factor these controls into your safety plan to keep your workers safe. Every worksite has different challenges. Therefore, safety managers should closely monitor weather conditions, their employees’ health and the intensity of the job at hand.
For more information, visit www.gopherindustrial.com or call (800) 997- 3177.
