Working in Hot Conditions

1
Working in Hot Conditions
2
Session Objectives

• You will be able to
• Understand how hot conditions affect your body
• Recognize symptoms of heat illness
• Take precautions to reduce the risk of heat
  illness

3
What You Need to Know

• Why working in hot conditions can be hazardous to
  your health and safety
• Types of heat-related illness
• Measures to prevent heat stress on the job

4
Bodys Cooling System

• Blood circulates closer to the skin so heat is
  lost
• Body sends sweat to the skins surface
• Sweat evaporates off the skin, cooling the body

5
The Heat Equation

• High Temperature
• High Humidity
• Physical Work
• Heat Illness

6
Additional Heat Stress Factors

• Radiant heat
• Air velocity

7
Personal Sensitivity To Heat

• Acclimatization (getting used to heat)
• Age
• Physical condition and overall health
• Metabolism
• Use of alcohol

8
Heat Rash

• Hot, humid environments where sweat cant
  evaporate
• Red, bumpy rash that often itches
• Uncomfortable, making sleep difficult
• Treatment and prevention
• Rest in a cool place
• Keep your skin dry and clean

9
Fainting (Heat Syncope)

• Worker not used to hot environment
• Worker stands still in heat
• Blood pools in the legs, so less blood goes to
  the brain
• Quick recovery after lying down in cool place
• Prevent by moving around a little rather than
  standing still all the time

10
Heat Cramps

• Painful muscle cramps
• Caused by loss of salt when sweating
• Treated/prevented by drinking electrolyte liquids
• Severe cases require intravenous saline solutions

11
Heat Exhaustion

• Loss of fluids and salt
• Feeling weak, dizzy, or nauseous
• Skin is clammy and complexion is pale or flushed
• Treatment
• Rest in cool place
• Drink electrolyte solution
• Severe cases victims vomit or lose consciousness

12
Heatstroke

• Victim stops sweating
• Symptoms include hot, dry skin
• Confusion, convulsions, or loss of consciousness
  may follow
• Call for an ambulance immediately
• Keep victim cool and provide fluids if conscious

13
Heat-Related Illness

• Do you understand the information presented in
  the previous slides?

14
Heat Can Cause Accidents

• Decreased strength, increased fatigue
• Reduced comprehension and ability to retain
  information
• Safety procedures not followed
• Other risks

15
Engineering Controls

• General ventilation
• Spot cooling

16
Engineering Controls (cont.)

• Shielding from radiant heat sources
• Substituting machinery for manual labor

17
Administrative Controls

• Schedule heavy work for a cooler time of year or
  in the evening and early morning
• Allow more frequent breaks or longer rest periods
• Allow time for workers to become conditioned to
  heat

18
Administrative Controls (cont.)

• Reduce physical demand on workers
• Use relief workers
• Limit hours on hot work environments
• Pace the work

19
PPE

• Shade-providing hats
• Portable water products
• Reflective clothing
• Systems that circulate air around the body

20
Medical Surveillance

• Periodic medical evaluation
• Determining risk of heat-related illness
• Removing high-risk employees from hot working
  environments

21
Work Monitoring Programs

• Check heart rate at the beginning of a rest
  period
• Check pulse 2.5 minutes after break starts

22
Work MonitoringPrograms (cont.)

• Take oral temperature at end of workday
• Check for body water loss

23
Investigating Heat-Related Illness

• Events leading up to the incident
• Work being done at time of incident
• Length of time employee working
• Engineering and administrative controls
• PPE
• Medical surveillance and worker monitoring

24
Preventing Heat-Related Illness

• Do you understand the information presented in
  the previous slides?

25
Water, Water, Water

• Drink plenty of water all day
• Drink electrolyte-balanced fluids if you sweat a
  lot
• Drink at least one cup of fluid every 15-20
  minutes when working in hot conditions
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol

26
Key Points to Remember

• Working in hot conditions can affect your health
  and safety
• Understand the risks and the precautions
• Know symptoms of heat-related illness and
  first-aid response
• Use all available measures to reduce heat stress
  and keep safe and healthy when working in hot
  conditions