Heat Stress Booklet

STAY COOL, STAY HYDRATED. HEAT STRESS PREVENTION

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Using the Heat Index: A Guide for Employers Introduction Outdoor workers who are exposed to hot and humid conditions are at risk of heat-related illness.

The risk of heat-related illness becomes greater as the weather gets hotter and more humid.

This situation is particularly serious when hot weather arrives suddenly early in the season, before workers have had a chance to adapt to warm weather.

For people working outdoors in hot weather, both air temperature and humidity affect how hot they feel. The "heat index" is a single value that takes both temperature and humidity into account. The higher the heat index, the hotter the weather feels, since sweat does not readily evaporate and cool the skin. The heat index is a better measure than air temperature alone for estimating the risk to workers from environmental heat sources.

Heat-related illness can be prevented.

Heat Index

Risk Level

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Less than 91°F

Lower (Caution) Moderate

Basic heat safety and planning Implement precautions and heighten awareness Additional precautions to protect workers Triggers even more aggressive protective measures

OSHA does not have a specific 91° to 103°F standard that covers working in hot environments. Nonetheless, under the OSH Act, employers have a 103° to 115°F High duty to protect workers from recognized serious hazards in the workplace, including heat-related Greater than Very High to hazards. This guide helps 115°F Extreme employers and worksite supervisors prepare and implement hot weather plans. It explains how to use the heat index to determine when extra precautions are needed at a worksite to protect workers from environmental contributions to heat-related illness. Workers performing strenuous activity, workers using heavy or non-breathable protective clothing, and workers who are new to an outdoor job need additional precautions beyond those warranted by heat index alone.

Workers new to outdoor jobs are generally most at risk for heat-related illnesses. For example, Cal/OSHA investigated 25 incidents of heat-related illness in 2005. In almost half of the cases, the worker involved was on their first day of work and in 80% of the cases the worker involved had only been on the job for four or fewer days. That's why it's important to gradually increase the workload or allow more frequent breaks to help new workers and those returning to a job after time away build up a tolerance for hot conditions. Make sure that workers understand the risks and are “acclimatized”.

Two primary sources of heat for workers: Workers become overheated from two primary sources: (1) the environmental conditions in which they work and (2) the internal heat generated by physical labor. Heat-related illnesses occur when the body is not able to lose enough heat to balance the heat generated by physical work and external heat sources. Weather conditions are the primary external heat sources for outdoor workers.

1 This guidance is available online at http://osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/.

Using the Heat Index: A Guide for Employers About the Heat Index The U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed the heat index system. The heat index combines both air temperature and relative humidity into a single value that indicates the apparent temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, or how hot the weather will feel. The higher the heat index, the hotter the weather will feel, and the greater the risk that outdoor workers will experience heat-related illness. NOAA issues heat advisories as the heat index rises. To learn more about the heat index, visit NOAA’s website.

Why humidity matters: Relative humidity is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air.

Sweat does not evaporate as quickly when the air is moist as it does in a dry climate. Since evaporation of sweat from the skin is one of the ways the human body cools itself on a hot day, high humidity reduces our natural cooling potential and we feel hotter. Low humidity can also be a problem for outdoor workers in hot, desert-like climates. Sweat evaporates very rapidly in low humidity, which can lead to severe dehydration if a person does not drink enough water throughout the day.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The heat index values were devised for shady, light wind conditions, and exposure to full sunshine can increase heat index values by up to 15° Fahrenheit. To account for solar load, added precautions are recommended. See Protective Measures to Take at Each Risk Level.

3 This guidance is available online at http://osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/.

STEP 1: Develop a heat-related illness prevention plan before heat index levels rise.

Use the Protective Measures to Take at Each Risk Level to inform your planning. The plan should address: Heat Index Risk Level Plan Element

Lower (Caution)

Moderate

High

Very High/Extreme

Supplies (ensuring adequate water, provisions for rest areas, and other supplies) Emergency planning and response (preparing supervisors and crews for emergencies) Worker acclimatization (gradually increasing workloads; allowing more frequent breaks as workers adapt to the heat) Modified work schedules (establishing systems to enable adjustments to work schedules) Training (preparing workers to recognize heat-related illness and preventive measures) Physiological, visual, and verbal monitoring (using direct observation and physiological monitoring to check for signs of heat-related illness) Review the pages of this guide to learn more about what you can do to protect workers from heat-related illness. Use checklists to assist in planning ahead and in daily planning.

STEP 2: Train workers before it gets hot. Train workers about safe work practices before heat index levels go up. Prepare workers so that they recognize the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness, how to prevent it, and what to do if someone has symptoms. Reinforce the training on hot days.

For heat-related illness prevention training tools and resources, go to Training Resources. OSHA’s factsheets and worksite posters (in English and Spanish) can help in communicating key messages about heat safety and health.

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