The heat is upon! Unfortunately, our body can overheat quickly when working (or playing) in the heat. If we do not plan for it and/or ignore the warning signs of heat illness, it can be fatal. This month's featured article is the first in a series that addresses Heat Illness Prevention. In order to prevent heat illness, we must first recognize the risk factors. This first article discusses both the environmental and personal risk factors of heat illness. I hope you find this information useful.
Feel free to share these articles with your friends and colleagues. Also, if you are interested in contributing articles for publication in my newsletter, please email me your suggested topic(s). I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Jerome Spear, CSP, CIH
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Heat Illness
What are the Risk Factors?
By Jerome E. Spear, CSP, CIH
The National Weather Service asserts that excessive heat was the number one weather-related killer, causing more fatalities per year than floods, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms and extreme cold. Evidence from the Centers for Disease Control, American Red Cross and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show that hot environmental temperatures cause hundreds of employees working outdoors and in hot work environments to experience heat-related illnesses and deaths annually. Heat illness can be prevented by recognizing and controlling the risk factors.
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Heat Safety Tool
OSHA's Heat Safety Tool is a free App that calculates the heat index for their worksite and then provides reminders about protective measures that should be taken at that risk level to protect workers from heat-related illness. It is a useful tool for workers and supervisors who work in the heat. This Smartphone App is available for Android and iPhone download.
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