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Preventing
Heat-Related
Illnesses
Whether they’re working in a warehouse or outdoors, recycling plant employees are at risk of suffering heat-related illnesses, especially during hot, humid months.
There are three main types of heat-related illnesses:
Heat cramps: Painful muscle cramps and spasms caused by working in warm or hot environments.
Heat exhaustion: This condition results from a loss of water and salt in the body due to extreme heat and excessive sweating. In this case, the body is unable to cool itself adequately and, if untreated, can progress to heat stroke. Common symptoms include thirst, heavy sweating, fatigue, irritability, nausea, dizziness, elevated body temperature, and fast heart rate.
Heat stroke: This condition occurs when the body’s heat-regulating system is overwhelmed and cannot cool the body sufficiently. It is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention. Common signs include confusion, slurred speech, unconsciousness, seizures, heavy sweating or hot, dry skin, very high body temperature, and rapid heart rate.
The risks of heat-related illnesses can be minimized or eliminated by following a few basic steps:
■ Train your plant employees and supervisors to recognize the signs and symptoms of common heat-related illnesses in themselves as well as their co-workers.
■ Make sure all employees who work in warm or hot environments are acclimatized to the working conditions, drink plenty of hydrating fluids, take frequent cool-down breaks, and wear light-colored, lightweight clothing.
■ Consider making changes to employee workloads and/or schedules, such as shortening the duration of shifts or scheduling work at cooler times of the day.
■ Consider implementing engineering controls to improve working conditions, such as installing air conditioning in inside environments or fans in outside working areas.
Click HERE to review OSHA’s information on working in indoor and outdoor heat environments.
Photo courtesy of Freepik.
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