Do you have to work outside where you are exposed to hot and humid conditions? Then you must be aware of the fact that the risk of heat-related illness is greater for you. If you want to avoid them and stay healthy, you’ll want to rest frequently, drink plenty of water, and spend time in the shade.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the most heat-related workplace illness and deaths occur during the first few days of very hot weather, and symptoms of heat-related illness include headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and a body temperature of more than 100 degrees. This situation gets worse when hot weather arrives suddenly early in the season without leaving any time for the workers to get used to the weather changes.
According to the OSHA law, every employer is responsible for providing workers with a safe workplace without any hazards. This includes protecting workers from extreme weather conditions like heat. An employer with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish a complete heat illness prevention program.
Heat-related illness can strike regardless of a worker’s age or fitness level, so if you have to work outside in the heat, you should follow these tips:
- Try to drink water every 15 minutes, whether or not you’re thirsty. This will keep you from getting dehydrated.
- Take frequent rests in shaded areas and make a hat and light-colored clothing part of your work outfit–light colors reflect heat better than dark ones.
- Try avoiding heavy or non-breathable protective clothing if possible.
- Learn the signs of heat illness and what to do in an emergency.
- All yourself time to get used to the changing weather or temperature level.
- Keep an eye open for spotting symptoms of heat illness in fellow workers.
Your workers have a right to a safe workplace. If you think your job is unsafe due to the rising heat level, make plans to keep employees safe ASAP. Need help complying with OSHA safety compliance standards? Contact SafetyAssure. SafetyAssure helps companies establish a safer workplace without the administrative burden. Our easy-to-use mobile app for OSHA recordkeeping for injury and illness enables your employees to log incidents, accidents, near misses, and observations with ease and wherever these events are noticed.
