August 18, 2022

Back in 1985, Glenn Frey sang “The Heat Is On” and that is exactly the forecast! In less than a week, many areas of the country jumped to triple digit temperatures. This type of quick and ongoing temperature change exposes workers to dangerous risks related to heat exposure. And remember, heat stress can happen outdoors as well indoors. Earlier this year, OSHA launched a National Emphasis Program for outdoor (and indoor) heat-related hazards. The purpose is to protect employees from heat-related hazards. They set a targeted enforcement component and want early interventions by employers to prevent illnesses and death during high heat conditions. For reference, OSHA stipulates that a heat priority day occurs with the heat index for the day is expected be 80° degrees or more. Here are some items OSHA will look for during heat-related inspections:

• • OSHA 300 logs and 301 incident reports
  • Records of heat-related ER visits or ambulatory transport
  • Determination if employer has a heat illness and injury program
  • Identifying activities relevant to heat-related hazards

The most effective way to minimize heat-related illness in the work force is to create and execute a plan. H&A has compiled a variety of resources to facilitate effective safety meetings for the heat stress topic including posters, written materials and videos. Click on the links below to download these resources:

• Heat Stress (English)
• Heat Stress (Spanish)

Hellman & Associates’ poster can be printed and place in your workplace. Share it with your employees to help them identify the signs and symptoms of heat stress so they know when to cool down before health risks set in. Download the poster

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you keep your valuable employees safe on the job