When workers must work in hot environments for long periods – like on construction sites, in factories, engine rooms or laundry services, addressing the first symptoms can make the difference between life and death.

Indisposition often occurs when workers are exposed to heat. Managers, team members, and facility operators should all learn how to identify the symptoms of heat illnesses and what to do if a colleague experiences them during the long, hot summer months.

What occupational factors may contribute to heat illness?

Besides high temperature and humidity, low fluid consumption, direct sun exposure with no shades, and extreme heat are all severe risk factors. Limited air movement, physical exertion, and bulky protective clothing and equipment may also lead to heat illnesses.

Are there many types of heat illness?

Laundry Ledger listed the illnesses that may result from exposure to heat in the workplace.

Heat Stroke occurs when the body’s temperature-regulating system fails, and the body temperature rises to critical levels (greater than 40°C).

This is a medical emergency that may result in death! The signs of heat stroke are confusion, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

Workers experiencing heat stroke have a very high body temperature and may stop sweating. If a worker shows signs of possible heat stroke, get medical help immediately.

Until medical help arrives, move the worker to a shady, cool area and remove as much clothing as possible. Wet the worker with cool water and circulate the air to speed cooling.

Heat Exhaustion is the next most serious heat-related health problem. The signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion are headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, confusion, thirst, heavy sweating and a body temperature greater than 38°C.

Workers with heat exhaustion should be removed from the hot area and given liquids to drink.

Cool the worker with cold compresses to the head, neck, and face or wash the worker’s head, face and neck with cold water. Encourage frequent sips of cool water.

Workers with signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion should be taken to an emergency room for medical evaluation and treatment. If symptoms worsen, medical help is needed immediately!

Heat Cramps are muscle pains usually caused by losing body salts and fluid during sweating. Workers with heat cramps should replace fluid loss by drinking water and carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement liquids (e.g., sports drinks) every 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat Rash is the most common problem in hot work environments.

Heat rash is caused by sweating and looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters appearing on the neck, upper chest, groin, under the breasts and elbow creases.

The best treatment for heat rash is to provide a cooler, less humid work environment. The rash area should be kept dry.

Powder may be applied to increase comfort, but ointments and creams should not be used.

How to prevent heat illnesses?

Hazard identification involves recognizing heat hazards and the risk of heat illness due to high temperature, humidity, sun and other thermal exposures, work demands, clothing or PPE and personal risk factors.

Identification tools include a Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer (WBGT), which measures heat stress in direct sunlight by taking into account temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun, and cloud cover.

Besides ensuring that cool drinking water is available and easily accessible, managers and workers should encourage each other to drink a litre of water over one hour, about one cup every fifteen minutes.

Providing fully shaded or air-conditioned areas for resting and cooling down is also essential.

Acclimatization is a physical change that allows the body to build tolerance to working in the heat by gradually increasing workloads and exposure. New workers and those returning from a prolonged absence should begin with 20% of the workload on the first day, increasing incrementally by no more than 20% each subsequent day.

Complete acclimatization may take up to 14 days or longer, depending on factors relating to the individual, such as an increased risk of heat illness due to certain medications, medical conditions, or the environment.

Altering work schedules may also reduce workers’ exposure to heat.

Rescheduling all non-essential outdoor work for days with a reduced heat index or scheduling the more physically demanding work during the cooler times of day can help.

Rotating workers, splitting shifts, and/or adding extra workers is also a good solution. Work should be stopped if essential control methods are inadequate or unavailable when the risk of heat illness is very high.

Providing training for workers on the health effects of heat, the symptoms of heat illness, how and when to respond to symptoms, and how to prevent heat illness.

Establishing a system to monitor and report the signs and symptoms of heat illnesses to improve early detection and action. A buddy system will assist supervisors when watching for signs of heat illness.

All teams should have an emergency plan in place and communicated to supervisors and workers.

Emergency plan considerations include:

* What to do when someone is showing signs of heat illness. This can make the difference between life and death.
* How to contact emergency help.
* How long will it take for emergency help to arrive and for workers to be trained on appropriate first-aid measures until help arrives?

Consider seeking advice from a healthcare professional when preparing a plan.

Indoor workplaces may be cooled by air conditioning or increased ventilation, assuming that cooler air is available outside.

Other methods to reduce indoor temperature include:

Providing reflective shields to redirect radiant heat.
Insulating hot surfaces.
Decrease water vapor pressure, e.g. by sealing steam leaks and keeping floors dry.

Source:
B+N Referencia Ltd.