OSHA Focusing on the Prevention of Heat Illness

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Brad Hammock

OSHA is launching a nationwide outreach campaign "to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of working outdoors in hot weather." In furtherance of this campaign, OSHA has developed a webpage devoted exclusively to work-related heat illness.

The website provides links to educational resources to inform employers and employees about heat illness and steps to protect workers from the heat. There are also training tools and materials for "vulnerable workers with limited reading skills or who do not speak English as a first language." OSHA also is partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on weather service alerts, which will provide worker safety precautions when extreme heat alerts are issued.

It is common for OSHA to reach out to employers and employees at this time of year to alert them to the potential dangers of work in extreme heat conditions. While OSHA does not have a standard dealing directly with heat stress, OSHA could potentially utilize the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act to cite employers for failing to take steps to protect employees from heat-related illness. Employers in warm climates, in particular, should review their policies and practices to ensure that they have plans in place to deal with heat stress at their worksites.

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OSHA Issues New Guidance to Employers on Heat Stress

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Brad Hammock

With summer weather starting to sweep across the country, OSHA has issued guidance on protecting workers from the adverse health effects of heat at work. Employers should take note as OSHA has called excessive heat a recognized hazard and has cited employers under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 for failing to take feasible steps to address workplace exposures to heat.

The new guidance lists the following factors that can lead to heat stress:
 

  • High temperature and humidity;
  • Direct sun or heat;
  • Limited air movement;
  • Physical exertion;
  • Poor physical condition;
  • Some medicines;
  • Inadequate tolerance for hot workplaces; and
  • Insufficient water intake.

To prevent the adverse effects of heat – heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat rashes – OSHA recommends that employers consider a variety of administrative and work practice controls. These include:
 

  • Acclimating workers to heat by exposing them to work in a hot environment for progressively longer periods;
  • Providing cool liquids to employees (not including caffeinated beverages) and encouraging them to drink small amounts frequently (e.g., one cup every 20 minutes);
  • Reducing physical demands, such as excessive lifting, climbing, or digging and, if necessary, use relief workers or assign extra workers to minimize overexertion;
  • Providing recovery areas such as air-conditioned enclosures;
  • Providing intermittent rest breaks;
  • Rescheduling hot jobs to the cooler part of the day; and
  • Monitoring workers who are at risk of heat stress by checking their heart rate and oral temperature.

OSHA also recommends employers consider certain personal protective equipment (PPE) to address heat hazards, such as loose-fitting reflective clothing, wetted clothing, and water-cooled garments. 

With its new guidance, OSHA is putting employers on notice that they need to take heat-related illness seriously. Employers are encouraged to do so, particularly as we get deeper and deeper into the summer months.

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