|
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
06.06.08 – Tips for Helping Employees Work Safely, Minimize Heat Stress
What can I do to protect my employees from the effects of working in high temperatures?
When employees work in hot conditions, employers must take special precautions in order to prevent heat illness. Heat illness can progress to heat stroke and be fatal, especially when emergency treatment is delayed.
Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, direct physical contact with hot objects, or strenuous physical activities have a high potential for inducing heat stress in employees engaged in such operations.
During the summer, workers employed in outside jobs such as construction and agriculture are subjected to many of these conditions and, for those who ignore the signs and symptoms, can become victims of a heat stress incident. According to Cal/OSHA, heat illness contributed to 12 work-related deaths in 2005 and eight in 2006.
It has been well publicized that Cal/OSHA has adopted regulations for outdoor workers to address the employers responsibility to ensure that employees are provided means to counter the effects of working in high temperatures. These requirements, Heat Illness Prevention in Outdoor Places of Employment, are contained in Section 3395 of the General Industry Safety Orders.
Injury/Illness Prevention Plan
Employers are required to put their heat illness prevention procedures, including employee training, in writing. It is recommended this document be incorporated into the employer's injury and illness prevention plan (IIPP). Training, at minimum should include:
• why it is important to prevent heat illness;
• procedures for acclimatization;
• the need to drink water frequently;
• the need to take breaks out of the heat;
• how to recognize the symptoms of heat illness;
• how to contact emergency services and how to effectively report the work location to 911;
• the importance of choosing water instead of soda or other caffeinated beverages and avoiding alcoholic beverages all together during high heat.
Signs to Recognize
There are several, causal factors that may affect a person's sensitivity to heat. Age, weight, degree of physical fitness, degree of acclimation, metabolism, use of alcohol or drugs, and a variety of medical conditions such as hypertension, all affect a person's sensitivity to heat. Even the type of clothing worn must be considered. Prior heat injury predisposes an individual to additional injury.
Four conditions must be recognized by supervisors of employees potentially exposed to heat stress: Heat rash or prickly heat, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
Specific measures that can be adopted to lessen the likelihood of a heat stress illness include:
• administrative controls, such as work rotation, starting work early in the morning or in the evening;
• providing plenty of fluids to drink, especially water; and
• providing personal protective equipment in the form of cooling vests and light-colored or reflective clothing and/or shade.
Heat Risks
There is no absolute cut-off below which work in heat is not a risk. With heavy work at high relative humidity or if workers are wearing protective clothing, even work at 70 degrees Fahrenheit can present a risk.
In relative humidity levels (20 percent to 40 percent) often found in hot areas of California, employers need to take some actions to effectively reduce heat illness risk when temperatures approach 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It is especially important to be vigilant during periods of abnormally high heat.
Even though Section 3395 is specific to outdoor workers, the requirements can be useful to all employers subject to working in/at a worksite where the temperature/humidity can result in heat illness; for example, poorly ventilated warehouses, work processes exposing employees to high temperatures and/or humidity such as foundries or glass bottle manufactures, construction sites, etc.
Heat illness is a foreseeable hazard as defined and enforced by Cal/OSHA. Using Section 3395, employers can address the conditions within a building or permanent worksite and prevent the occurrence of heat illness. As stated previously, the steps taken should be included in the company's IIPP.
Click here to purchase a "Preventing Heat Illness - mini book" from Calbizcenteral
Regulations
Cal/OSHA Construction Training Requirements
Heat Exhaustion Recognition and Treatment
Heatstroke Recognition and Treatment
A few items to consider when working in the heat
Definitions
The , adopted on June 15, 2005, requires all employers with outdoor work sites to take 4 basic steps to prevent heat illness:
1. Provide heat illness prevention training to all employees, including supervisors.
2. Provide enough fresh water so that each employee can drink at least one (1) quart per hour and encourage them to do so.
3. Provide access to shade for at least five (5) minutes of rest when an employee believes he or she needs a preventative recovery period. They should not wait until they feel sick to do so.
4. Develop and implement written procedures for complying with the heat illness prevention standard.
General Industry Safety Orders
Chapter 4, subchapter 7, article 10
Section 3395
§3395. Heat Illness Prevention
(a) Scope and Application. This section applies to the control of risk of occurrence of heat illness. This is not intended to exclude the application of other sections of Title 8, including, but not necessarily limited to, sections 1230(a), 1512, 1524, 3203, 3363, 3400, 3439, 3457, 6251, 6512, 6969, 6975, 8420 and 8602(e). This section applies to all outdoor places of employment.
Note No. 1: The measures required here may be integrated into the employer's Injury and Illness Program required by section 3203.
Note No. 2: This standard is enforceable by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health pursuant to Labor Code sections 6308 and 6317 and any other statutes conferring enforcement powers upon the Division. It is a violation of Labor Code sections 6310, 6311, and 6312 to discharge or discriminate in any other manner against employees for exercising their rights under this or any other provision offering occupational safety and health protection to employees.
(b) Definitions.
"Acclimatization" means temporary adaptation of the body to work in the heat that occurs gradually when a person is exposed to it. Acclimatization peaks in most people within four to fourteen day of regular work for at least two hours per day in the heat.
"Heat illness" means a serious medical condition resulting from the body's inability to cope with a particular heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope and heat stroke.
-"Environmental risk factors for heat illness" means working conditions that create the possibility that heat illness could occur, including air temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat from the sun and other sources, conductive heat sources such as the ground, air movement, workload severity and duration, protective clothing and personal protective equipment worn by employees.
"Personal risk factors for heat illness" means factors such as an individual's age degree of acclimatization, health, water consumption, alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption, and use of prescription medications that affect the body's water retention or other physiological responses to heat.
"Preventative recovery period" means a period of time to recover from the heat in order to prevent heat illness.
"Shade" means blockage of direct sunlight. Canopies, umbrellas and other temporary structures or devices may be used to provide shade. One indicator that blockage is sufficient is when objects do not cast a shadow in the area of blocked sunlight. Shade is not adequate when heat in the area of shade defeats the purpose of shade, which is to allow the body to cool. For example, a car sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable shade to a person inside it, unless the car is running with air conditioning.
(c) Provision of water. Employees have access to potable drinking water meeting the requirements of Sections 1524, 3363, and 3457, as applicable. Where it is not plumbed or otherwise continuously supplied, it shall be provided in sufficient quantity at the beginning of the work shift to provide one quart per employee per hour for drinking for the entire shift. Employers may begin the shift with smaller quantities of water if they have effective procedures for replenishment during the shift as needed to allow employees to drink one quart or more per hour. The frequent drinking of water, as described in (e), shall be encouraged.
(d) Access to shade. Employees suffering from heat illness or believing a preventative recovery period is needed, shall be provided access to an area with shade that is either open to the air or provided with ventilation or cooling for a period of no less than five minutes. Such access to shade shall be permitted at all times. Except for employers in the agricultural industry, cooling measures other than shade (e.g., use of misting machines) may be provided in lieu of shade if the employer can demonstrate that these measures are at least as effective as shade in allowing employees to cool.
(e) Training.
(1) Employee training. Training in the following topics shall be provided to all supervisory and non-supervisory employees.
(A) The environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness;
(B) The employer's procedures for complying with the requirements of this standard;
(C) The importance of frequent consumption of small quantities of water, up to 4 cups per hour, when the work environment is hot and employees are likely to be sweating more than usual in the performance of their duties;
(D) The importance of acclimatization;
(E) The different types of heat illness and the common signs and symptoms of heat illness;
(F) The importance to employees of immediately reporting to the employer, directly or through the employee's supervisor, symptoms or signs of heat illness in themselves, or in co-workers;
(G) The employer's procedures for responding to symptoms of possible heat illness, including how emergency medical services will be provided should they become necessary;
(H) The employer's procedures for contacting emergency medical services, and if necessary, for transporting employees to a point where they can be reached by an emergency medical service provider;
(I) The employer's procedures for ensuring that, in the event of an emergency, clear and precise directions to the work site can and will be provided as needed to emergency responders.
(2) Supervisor training. Prior to assignment to supervision of employees working in the heat, training on the following topics shall be provided:
(A) The information required to be provided by section (e)(1) above.
(B) The procedures the supervisor is to follow to implement the applicable provisions in this section.
(C) The procedures the supervisor is to follow when an employee exhibits symptoms consistent with possible heat illness, including emergency response procedures.
(3) The employer's procedures required by subsections (e)(1)(B), (G), (H), and (I) shall be in writing and shall be made available to employees and to representatives of the Division upon request.
Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.
<Top of page
California OSHA Guide for the Construction Industry 6 (2006)
Chapter 6 Cal/OSHA Construction Training Requirements pg. 39-41
6.44 Heat Illness
Construction industry employers must provide training on heat stress, including prevention, recognition, and first aid, as part of their IIP PLans and as required under the recent heat illness prevention regulations. Heat stress can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. These two conditions are similar, but differ in their severity. Heat exhaustion involves overheating of the body caused by dehydration (or salt depletion in rare cases). Heat Stroke occurs if the system for regulating the body's heat stops working altogether. Heatstroke typically involves mental disorientation and confusion. If left untreated, heatstroke can be fatal.
Under the heat illness prevention regulation, all supervisory and non-supervisory employees must be trained on the following topics:
• Environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness.
• Employer's procedures for identifying, evaluating, and controlling exposures to the environmental and personal risk factors for Heat Illness.
• Importance of frequent consumption of small quantities of water, up to four cups per hour under extreme conditions of work and heat.
• Importance of acclimatization.
• Different types of heat illness and the common signs and symptoms of heat illness and the common signs and symptoms of heat illness.
• Importance of immediately reporting to employer, directly or through a supervisor, symptoms or signs of heat illness, both in themselves or in co-workers.
• Employer's procedures for responding to symptoms of possible heat illness, including how emergency medical services will be provided if they become necessary.
• Procedures for contracting emergency medical services and, if necessary, for transporting employees to a point where they can be reached by an emergency medical services provider.
• How to provide clear and precise directions to the work site.
<Top of page
Heat Exhaustion Recognition and Treatment
The signs, symptoms and treatment for Heat exhaustion are as follows:
• Signs:
- high pulse rate
- excessive sweating
- normal to slightly elevated body temperature
- uncertain gait
- pale face
• Symptoms:
- weakness
- thirst
- fatigue
- blurred vision
- headache
• Appropriate First Aid/Medical Treatments:
- make sure victim stops working and gets out of the sun
- lay victim down flat in cool environment
- loosen victim's clothing
- give victim plenty of water or a sports beverage to drink slowly
<Top of page
Heatstroke Recognition and Treatment
The signs, symptoms, and treatments for Heatstroke are as follows:
• Signs:
- High body temperature (104°F or above)
- hot dry skin
- red face
- shivering
- collapse
- convulsions
• Symptoms:
- restlessness and irritability
- disorientation
- confusion
- unconsciousness
• Appropriate First Aid/Medical Treatment:
- get victim out of the sun immediately
- cool victim off immediately (if possible) by wiping with a cool sponge, giving a cool bath, or placing an ice pack on neck and armpits
- splash victim's skin with water and fan him or her
- elevate the victim's legs
- give victim fluids (one to two quarts of water or a sport beverage) only if victim is conscious and able to drink
- get victim to a hospital emergency room
<Top of page
Here are a few items to consider when working in the heat:
• It takes on the average, about 5 - 7 days for your body to adjust to the heat. If you are returning to work from an illness or an extended break or just starting a new job working in the heat, it is important to be aware that you are more vulnerable to heat stress until your body has time to adjust. Let your employer now you are not used to the heat.
• Drinking plenty of water frequently is vital to workers exposed to the heat. An individual may produce as much as 2 to 3 gallons of sweat per day. In order to replenish that fluid the worker should drink 3 to 4 cups of water every hour starting at the beginning of the workers shift.
• When taking a break try to locate a cool shaded area and allowing time for recovery from the heat during the day are effective ways to avoid heat illness.
• Avoidance of caffeine or alcohol during periods of extreme heat is suggested, since both caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body.
• If you or a co-worker starts to feel symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, weakness or unusual fatigue, let your supervisor know and rest in a cool shaded area. If symptoms persist or worsen seek immediate medical attention.
• Clothing that provides protection from the sun but allows airflow to the body, should be worn when ever possible. Remember to protect your head and shade your eyes when working outdoors.
• When working in the heat be sure to pay extra attention to your co-workers and be sure you know how to call for medical attention.
<Top of page
DEFINITIONS:
"Acclimatization" means temporary adaptation of the body to work in the heat that occurs gradually when a person is exposed to it. Acclimatization peaks in most people within four to fourteen day of regular work for at least two hours per day in the heat.
"Environmental risk factors for heat illness" means working conditions that create the possibility that heat illness could occur, including air temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat from the sun and other sources, conductive heat sources such as the ground, air movement, workload severity and duration, protective clothing and personal protective equipment worn by employees.
"Fainting" (heat syncope) may be a problem for the worker not acclimated to a hot environment who simply stands still in the heat.
"Heat illness" means a serious medical condition resulting from the body's inability to cope with a particular heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope and heat stroke.
"Heat cramps" painful spasms of the muscles, are caused when workers drink large quantities of water but fail to replace their bodies' salt loss. Tired muscles - those used for performing the work - are usually the ones most susceptible to cramps.
"Heat exhaustion" results from loss of fluid through sweating when a worker has failed to drink enough fluids or take in enough salt or both. The worker with heat exhaustion still sweats but experiences extreme weakness or fatigue, giddiness, nausea, or headache. The skin is clammy and moist, the body temperature normal or slightly higher.
"Heat rash" also known as prickly heat, may occur in hot and humid environments where sweat is not easily removed from the surface of the skin by evaporation. When extensive or complicated by infection, heat rash can be so uncomfortable that it inhibits sleep and impedes a worker's performance or results in temporary or permanent disability.
"Heat Stroke" the most serious health problem for workers in hot environments, is caused by the failure of the body's internal mechanism to regulate its core temperature. Sweating stops and the body can no longer rid itself of excess heat. Victims of heat stroke will die unless treated promptly.
Signs include:
(1) mental confusion, delirium, loss of consciousness, convulsions or coma
(2) a body temperature of 106°F or higher
(3) hot dry skin which may be red, mottled, or bluish
"Heat syncope" another stage in the same process as heat stroke, occurs under similar conditions as heat stroke and is not distinguished from the latter by some authorities. The basic symptom of heat syncope is a body temperature above 40°C (104°f) with fainting, or without mental confusion, which does occur in heat stroke. Heat syncope is caused by mild overheating with inadequate water or salt.
"Preventative recovery period" means a period of time to recover from the heat in order to prevent heat illness.
"Personal risk factors for heat illness" means factors such as an individual's age degree of acclimatization, health, water consumption, alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption, and use of prescription medications that affect the body's water retention or other physiological responses to heat.
"Shade" means blockage of direct sunlight. Canopies, umbrellas and other temporary structures or devices may be used to provide shade. One indicator that blockage is sufficient is when objects do not cast a shadow in the area of blocked sunlight. Shade is not adequate when heat in the area of shade defeats the purpose of shade, which is to allow the body to cool. For example, a car sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable shade to a person inside it, unless the car is running with air conditioning.
< Top of page
< Back to Alerts & Publications
• Medical information obtained from our website is not intended as a substitute for professional care. The information above is provided only to inform. If you have or suspect you have a problem, you should consult a healthcare provider. You agree that you will not under any circumstances disregard any professional medical advice or delay in seeking such advice in reliance on any Content provided on or through the Site. Reliance on any such Content is solely at your own risk.
|
