Workplace Heat Illness Prevention

1. Workplace Heat Illness Prevention SU Office of Environmental Health & SafetyOccupational Health & Safety Programx3-04484/15

2. Outline • Heat illness • Risk factors • How the body handles heat • Types of heat illness • Prevention of heat illness • Water consumption, shade, and cool-down rests • Importance of acclimatization • Emergency response procedures • Supervisor guidelines

3. Cal/OSHA Standard • 8 CCR 3395- Heat Illness Prevention • Applies to outdoor places of employment with heat illness potential • Requirements • Heat illness prevention training for supervisors and employees • Local procedures for heat illness prevention

4. Heat Illness

5. Risk Factors for Heat Illness • Weather conditions • Higher temperatures • Higher humidity • Air movement • High radiant heat (e.g. sunshine) • High conductive heat (e.g. ground) • Higher intensity and/or duration of physical activity • PPE/ clothing can be a factor (i.e., tyvek coveralls)

6. Personal Risk Factors • Poor physical condition* • Older age • Degree of acclimatization • Low water consumption • Some medications* • Use of alcohol/ drugs * Recommend checking w/ personal physician about heat illness risk

7. How the Body Handles Heat • The body tries to keep a constant internal temperature • As internal temperature rises from activity, the body cools itself by: • Increasing blood flow to skin surface • Releasing sweat onto skin surface • When the body can no longer cool off, mild symptoms of heat illness can quickly turn serious and life-threatening

8. Heat Exhaustion • Cause: • Excessive loss of water and salt through sweat • Signs & Symptoms: • Headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting • Weakness and moist skin • Muscle cramps • Mood changes such as irritability or confusion • Upset stomach or vomiting

9. Heat Stroke • Cause: • Total breakdown of body’s cooling system • Signs & Symptoms: • Sweating stops-- skin is hot, red, and dry • Mental confusion, losing consciousness • Fainting • Seizures or convulsions Treat as a medical emergency! Can be life threatening.

10. Emergency Response Procedures For any of the previously mentioned symptoms: • If first-aid trained personnel are not available on-site to provide assessment, immediately call 911 or 9-911 (from a campus phone) OR transport to Stanford Hospital Emergency Room • While waiting for help: • Move victim to cool area • Give small cup of water (if conscious and not nauseous) • Loosen and/or remove clothing • Fan and mist the person w/ water • Apply a water-soaked towel (or ice pack wrapped in towel) to head and ice pack to armpits • Contact supervisor immediately • Anyone with symptoms must never be sent home or left unattended without a medical evaluation • SU Occupational Health Center follow-up for employees evaluated for heat illness

11. Prevention of Heat Illness

12. Stay hydrated: Don’t forget to drink! • Employees shall be provided enough cool, fresh drinking water for all work hours. • Recommend drinking at least four cups per hour for the entire shift.

13. Cool down in the shade • When warmer than 80°F, a shaded rest area shall be provided at or nearby the work area. • When < 80°F , shade shall be provided upon employee request. • Whenever needed, take a cool-down rest in the shade to help prevent overheating. • Tell your supervisor if you feel symptoms of heat illness • Take at least 5 minutes to rest in the shade • Do not return to work until symptoms have gone away

14. Supervisor Guidance

15. Work Planning and Supervision • Assess conditions • Weather forecasts - http://nws.noaa.gov • Current weather - http://weather.stanford.edu * Note: high humidity drives up the heat load • For warmer periods: • Schedule outdoor work during cooler parts of the day • For most strenuous tasks, plan a staff rotation • Advise staff to wear lighter, loose-fitting clothing and wide brimmed hats

16. Work Planning and Supervision • Worker acclimatization People adapt to weather changes within 4-14 days. To minimize the risk of heat illness: • Employees shall be closely monitored by supervisor/designee during a heat wave* • For new employees and those returning from extended leave/ illness, closely monitor them for 14 days by: • Directly observing them, or • Having a mandatory buddy system *Cal/OSHA defines heat wave as temperatures of 80 degrees F or warmer and at least 10 degrees F warmer than the average daytime temperature of the previous 5 days

17. Work Planning and Supervision For outdoor temperatures ≥ 80°F, supervisors shall: • Provide shade at/nearby worksite for employee rest breaks. • If not safe or feasible to provide shade, alternative cooling measures with equivalent protection are required. • Encourage staff to take cool-down rests in the shade as needed to avoid overheating • IMPORTANT: During cool-down breaks, staff shall be monitored and asked if they are experiencing heat illness symptoms • Provide effective means for employees to contact the supervisor and emergency services • Ensure close observation of: • All staff during a heatwave • New employees and employees returning from extended absence

18. Work Planning and Supervision High Heat Procedure-- when outdoor temperatures higher than 95°F, supervisors shall: • Ensure all of the previously noted actions. • Regularly monitor employees for alertness and signs/ symptoms of heat illness via: • Direct supervision, buddy system, phone/radio communication, and/or other means of observation. • Conduct pre-shift meetings to review: • How employees are to be monitored during the day • Reminder to drink plenty of waterthroughout the day • The employee right to take cool down rests as needed

19. Work Planning and Supervision As Cal/OSHA requires, keep a local plan for heat illness prevention: • Use the template provided in the SU Heat Illness Prevention Guide- Appendix A. • The written plan shall minimally cover: • Procedures for providing water and access to shade • High heat procedures • Emergency response procedures • Acclimatization methods and procedures • Employee and supervisor training shall include these local procedures for heat illness prevention • The written plan shall be made available to employees at the worksite • Availability can be via smartphone

20. Supervisor Responsibilities-- Summary • Obtain heat illness prevention training • Develop and train staff on written local heat illness prevention procedures • On a daily basis, assess your staff’s heat stress potential • Plan and manage work activities accordingly to reduce the risk of heat stress • Provide access to water and shade • Ensure routine monitoring of staff during warmer weather • Be able to recognize warning signs of heat illness • Promptly respond to symptoms of heat illness!

21. For Additional Information EH&S- Occupational Health and Safety Program • Find more information on heat illness prevention at: http://web.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/mainrencon/occhealth/15-101.doc • For questions or more information, call 723-0448