A Guide to Keeping Your Workers Safe in the Summer

The Dangers of Summer Weather Data:

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), heat is the number 1 weather-related killer, resulting in more deaths than tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Heat stress is 100% preventable if proper precautions are taken. In 2013, 372 people died from heat stroke in the U.S. Heat-related illnesses can escalate rapidly, leading to delirium, organ damage and even death. Summer is the most high-risk time of year for illness. Those most affected by excessive heat fall into these categories:

• Infants and young children
• Elderly people
• Pets
• Individuals with heart or circulatory problems or other long-term illness
• People who work outdoors
• Athletes and people who like to exercise – especially beginners
• Individuals taking medications that alter sweat production
• Alcoholics and drug abusers

Heat stress is a real hazard for workers in many different types of industries including foundries, construction, refinery operations, landscaping, roofing, hazardous chemical environments and many other types of work. Many times, workers simply don’t understand the symptoms and preventive measures to take to ensure they don’t become a heat-related illness statistic. Employers may want to reference the heat index chart provided by NOAA in order to monitor weather reports from the National Weather Service for excessive heat outlooks (excessive heat event in the next three to seven days) and excessive heat watches, warnings or advisories. These warnings are used for conditions posing a threat to life or property and should be taken very seriously. Symptoms to watch for the three major types of heat-related incidents (heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps, are below.

Heat stroke:

Heatstroke is the most serious condition and can occur when the ability to sweat fails and body temperature rises quickly. The brain and vital organs are effectively “cooked” as body temperature rises to a dangerous level in a matter of minutes. Heatstroke is often fatal, and those who do survive may have permanent damage to their organs. Someone experiencing heat stroke will have extremely hot skin, and an altered mental state, ranging from slight confusion to coma. Seizures also can result. Ridding the body of excess heat is crucial for survival.

• Move the person into a half-sitting position in the shade
• Call for emergency medical help immediately
• If humidity is below 75%, spray the victim with water and fan them vigorously; if humidity is above 75%, apply ice to neck, armpits or groin
• Do not give aspirin or acetaminophen
• Do not give the victim anything to drink

Heat Exhaustion: When the body loses an excessive amount of salt and water, heat exhaustion can set in. People who work outdoors and athletes are particularly susceptible. Symptoms are similar to those of the flu and can include severe thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting and, sometimes, diarrhea. Other symptoms include profuse sweating, clammy or pale skin, dizziness, rapid pulse and normal or slightly elevated body temperature. Uncontrolled heat exhaustion can evolve into heat stroke, so make sure to treat the victim quickly.

• Move them to a shaded or air-conditioned area
• Give them water or other cool, nonalcoholic beverages
• Apply wet towels or having them take a cool shower

Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscle spasms that usually affect the legs or abdominal muscles, often after physical activity. Excessive sweating reduces salt levels in the body, which can result in heat cramps. Workers or athletes with pain or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs should not return to work for a few hours. Instead:

• Sit or lie down in the shade
• Drink cool water or a sports drink
• Stretch affected muscles
• Seek medical attention if you have heart problems or if the cramps don’t get better in an hour

Prevention: The best way to avoid a heat-related illness is to limit exposure to hot operations and the outdoors during hot days. According to the CDC, air conditioning is the best way to cool off. Other preventive actions include:

• Drink more liquid than you think you need and avoid alcohol
• Wear loose, lightweight clothing and a hat (check out the options at catalog.flexp.com)
• Replace salt lost from sweating by drinking fruit juice or sports drinks
• Avoid spending time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wear sunscreen; sunburn affects the body’s ability to cool itself
• Pace yourself when you run or otherwise exert your body

Additional precautions – including shade, extra water, more breaks, etc. – should be taken prior to the start of a heat wave. Generally, plans related to hot weather should be in place between May 1 and Sept. 30 of each year. For indoor applications (hot environment primarily due to process heat – examples include furnaces, smelters, etc.), experts recommend following the guidance of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Heat stress can be evaluated using ACGIH’s threshold limit values when setting up a prevention plan. TLVs are established by industrial hygienists for employers to make decisions regarding safe levels of exposure to heat in the workplace. The ACGIH heat stress TLV uses wet bulb globe temperatures to measure “perceived heat.” This method closely relates to the human body’s response to heat. The WBGT measurement takes into account air temperature, air movement, radiant heat, and humidity.

Prevention is the key to heat stress incidents in your workplace. Understanding the impact of heat on the body and ways you can help workers deal with the effects of excessive heat is really important as things heat up this summer.  If you need help putting a heat stress prevention program in place or simply need a few “tools” to help keep your workers happy and productive (things like cooling towels can really help keep core body temps down) let us know – we are here to help. FlexPAC cares about your safety and we want to be a resource to your team. Finally, train your employees on the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and educate them on the steps they can take to prevent an illness or worse on the job. The training program should cover risk factors of heat illness and the different types of illness that can occur. Also, common signs and symptoms, as well as the company’s emergency plan and procedures for responding to possible heat illness.

All of these things need to be identified and explained during a training program or even conduct a toolbox talk that covers the basics with your employees. A Heat Stress Toolbox talk is provided at www.flexp.com for your use. Heat-related illnesses and death are 100% preventable, so be informed and take action for your safety and the safety of your workers. FlexPAC’s Safety Division (email: safety@flexp.com) offers services that can help you determine your best practices for handling heat stress in the workplace.

Heat stress monitors and charts that indicate dehydration levels are also available – just ask your FlexPAC representative for details. FlexPAC cares about the safety of workers. During the hot summer months, heat stress becomes a major concern. The following information may help you become more aware of the steps you can take to keep your employees protected. FlexPAC offers a wide range of cooling products to help you beat the heat including cooling towels, vests, wraps, bandanas and other solutions to help keep workers cool. More information and cooling product details are available on our website at www.flexp.com.