© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0712 Alabama Retail is committed to partnering with our members to...

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0712

Alabama Retail is committed to partnering with our

members to create and keep safe workplaces.

Be sure to check out all of the training tools that are available in our Safety

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Working in Hot Conditions


Session ObjectivesYou 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


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


Body’s Cooling System• Blood circulates closer

to the skin so heat is lost• Body sends sweat to

the skin’s surface• Sweat evaporates

off the skin, cooling the body


The Heat EquationHigh Temperature

+ High Humidity

+ Physical Work

= Heat Illness


Additional Heat Stress Factors• Radiant heat• Air velocity


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


Heat Rash• Hot, humid

environments where sweat can’t 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


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


Heat Cramps• Painful muscle cramps• Caused by loss of salt

when sweating• Treated/prevented by

drinking electrolyte liquids• Severe cases require

intravenous saline solutions


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


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


Heat-Related Illness• Do you understand the

information presented in the previous slides?


Heat Can Cause Accidents• Decreased strength, increased fatigue• Reduced comprehension and ability to

retain information• Safety procedures not followed• Other risks


Engineering Controls• General ventilation• Spot cooling


Engineering Controls (cont.)

• Shielding from radiant heat sources• Substituting machinery

for manual labor


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


Administrative Controls (cont.)

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


PPE• Shade-providing hats• Portable water

products• Reflective clothing• Systems that circulate

air around the body


Medical Surveillance• Periodic medical

evaluation• Determining risk of

heat-related illness• Removing high-risk

employees from hot working environments


Work Monitoring Programs• Check heart rate at the

beginning of a rest period• Check pulse 2.5

minutes after break starts


Work MonitoringPrograms (cont.)

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

loss


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


Preventing Heat-Related Illness• Do you understand the

information presented in the previous slides?


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


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

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