Theme based Program

Heat Stress Management

TLD-BU, May’20

SUMMER SAFETY
Keep Your Team Safe in the Heat

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Hazards Due to “Heat Stress”

• Dehydration • Heat rashes

• Illness • Overheating of body

• Heat Cramp • Headache

• Heat stroke • Heat Exhaustion

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SUMMER SAFETY

 The blisteringly hot temperatures of summer are hard on all of us, but especially for those working
in construction. In some area the humidity can often rise to 90 percent, creating an even more
dangerous working environment. If you work in this field, you’ll understand just how dangerously
hot it can get and how important it is to take precautions to keep yourself and everyone on your
team safe.
 However, this can be difficult to do. Summer is peak construction season, meaning there’s usually
no choice but to continue working as usual, even on the very hottest of days. So on those days,
what can you do to promote summer construction safety among your team members and fellow
workers?
 It isn’t always easy, but with a little extra time and care, you can find many different ways to
prevent complications like heat illness in your team. To help you do just that this season, here are
some of our best summer safety tips.
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SUMMER SAFETY

 When it comes to working construction in the summer heat, the two most significant risks to be

aware of are heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Both of these are serious conditions that are not to

be underestimated, as they can have severe health consequences for workers.

 So that we can better recognize the signs of these two dangerous conditions in ourselves and our

workers, here is a brief overview of each.

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HEAT STROKE EHSCC
 Heat stroke is a condition that occurs when your body is exposed to excessively high temperatures, to the point
that your body’s natural temperature regulating mechanisms fail, causing fever or even loss of consciousness. Put
simply, heat stroke means your body has overheated and isn’t able to cool itself down like it normally would.

 Symptoms that might indicate heatstroke include:

 A core temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or more
 Confusion, agitation, slurred speech and delirium  Red skin
 Change in sweating patterns  Rapid heart rate
 Headaches
 Vomiting and nausea

If this condition persists and goes untreated, it could damage your brain, kidneys, heart and muscles and even lead to
death in severe cases.
HEAT EXHAUSTION EHSCC
 Heat exhaustion is a milder version of the same condition as heat stroke. It is also caused by your body becoming
overheated to the point where it can’t figure out how to cool itself down. However, the symptoms are typically
less severe, and the risk is not as high. Don’t be too quick to dismiss this condition as a non-threat, however, as
heat exhaustion can easily turn into heat stroke if it is ignored and left untreated.

 Symptoms that indicate the start of heat exhaustion include:

 Cool skin with goose bumps despite the heat
 Intense sweating
 Fainting, dizziness and fatigue
 Rapid, weak pulse
SAFETY TIPS FOR THE SUMMER EHSCC

 Now that we have a greater understanding of the dangers of extreme heat and the signs of heat-related
illnesses, it’s time to talk about some practical ways you can keep your workers rested, hydrated and
cool this summer. Try to implement as many of these tips as possible to reduce the risk to all your team
members.

 If you’re a construction team member, you usually aren’t in a position to be responsible for all your
fellow workers or implement site-wide policies for the betterment of the entire team. What you can do,
however, is make sure you’re keeping yourself safe
 If you’re worried about your own safety as a construction team member this summer, try some of these
10 tips.
1. KEEP WATER EVERYWHERE EHSCC

 The single most important way to protect yourself from heat illness this summer is to keep plenty of water on the
construction site. Always have water within easy reaching distance, if possible. If that isn’t possible, keep it as close to
you as is allowed and take frequent hydration breaks. This water helps keep your body from becoming dehydrated and
overheated. The more water you can drink, the healthier you’ll stay.

 For the best results and the maximum hydration, make sure you’re actually drinking water instead of soda, lemonade,
energy drinks or any other beverages.
2. STAY HEALTHY EHSCC

 The better physical shape you’re in, the better equipped

your body will be to deal with the stress of extreme
temperatures. Extra body fat and underlying health
problems will contribute to your body becoming
overheated and damaged even faster. Hit the gym
regularly, cut down on the tobacco and try to improve
your general health in whatever ways you can.
3. EAT HEALTHY MEAL EHSCC

 High-fat, heavy and greasy food will leave you feeling bloated and potentially nauseous, neither of which are a good
combination with extreme temperatures. Especially during the hottest part of the day, opt for a lighter meal that will
keep you from feeling hungry without weighing you down. For example, try eating a sandwich and fruit instead of a
greasy burger and French fries.
4. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP EHSCC

 One additional measure you can take to keep your

body as healthy as possible, and thus equipped to
better handle the extreme temperatures, is to get
plenty of sleep. REM sleep is more difficult to reach
when the weather is hot and uncomfortable, so pay
extra attention to improving the quality of your
sleep during these hot months. Use fans to keep
your room cooler at night, and make sure you block
out plenty of time for sleeping.
5. PLAN THE TIMING OF YOUR JOB EHSCC

 If at all possible, avoid planning a job for

the hottest parts of the day. Instead, try to
schedule your work for the morning or
evening hours. If you have a combination of
outdoor work and indoor work to do, look
at the weather forecast and plan ahead. Try
to schedule your indoor work for the very
hottest days, and leave the outdoor work
for the days when the weather is slightly
more bearable.
6. TAKE A PLENTY OF BREAK EHSCC

 If you absolutely can’t avoid working during the hottest parts of the day, the next best solution
is to take plenty of breaks to rest and recover in the shade. These frequent breaks can prevent
your body from reaching such a high temperature that it can’t cool itself down again, as well as
help you be more equipped to deal with the heat.
7. DON’T WANDER IN AND OUT OF AIR-CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS
EHSCC

 Every time we suddenly go from one extreme temperature to the opposite extreme, we experience a
miniature shock effect as our bodies adjust to this radical new temperature shift. This is true whether
you’re traveling from a 100-degree parking lot into a cool, air-conditioned building — or vice versa.
The more often we force our body to go through this whiplash, the more strain it experiences.

 If you’re doing construction work in the heat, avoid going inside for your breaks. While frequent
breaks are important, try relaxing in the shade instead of going inside. This temperature difference is
much less extreme and will be gentler on the body. This way, when you finally do go inside at the end
of the day, you’ll be able to stay there comfortably.
8. EDUCATE YOUR WORKERS EHSCC

 When you’re the one in charge, it’s up to you to make sure your entire team is following these
crucial heat-safety rules and keeping one another safe. This can be a difficult task to achieve if
none of your workers know the risks you’re trying to protect them from. Educate your team by
taking the time to explain the very real dangers of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, as well as — in
detail — how they can avoid it.
 Perhaps you might provide mandatory training upon hiring new crew members. Maybe you might
issue a warning before the summer season strikes. You could even send out reminders to your
team on days when the weather is projected to reach a certain threshold. It doesn’t matter how
you choose to go about educating your team — just be sure to do it.
9. PROVIDE SHADE FOR YOUR TEAM EHSCC
 While simply taking a break from work will be good for your team, these breaks will be even
more beneficial if they take them in the shade. Some work sites will conveniently have trees or
buildings that provide natural shade for your team to rest under during break time.

 However, if your team is working on a construction site where there are no nearby sources of
shade, it’s up to you to provide some sort of sun protection where your workers can rest, hydrate
and enjoy a respite from the heat. Consider setting up tents, awnings or other forms of shade
where everyone can take a break.
10. PLAN YOUR WORK SCHEDULE CAREFULLY EHSCC

 If at all possible, you and your team would both benefit from not working during the hottest hours of the
day. One of the best ways to avoid doing this is to push back your starting time to earlier in the morning.
By starting work before the sun has had time to get extremely hot, you’ll limit the length of time you’ll
be forced to spend outside during the heat of mid-day. You might even consider starting early, taking a
long break for the hottest daylight hours, and then continuing work when things begin to cool off.

 If this type of arrangement is not an option, however, look for other ways to rearrange your schedule. Do
some parts of a job require indoor work? If so, plan for this on the hottest days and save the outdoor
work for the days when the temperatures are slightly less extreme.

 Sometimes, however, the schedule is absolutely iron-clad and cannot change. If this is the case, at least
make a serious effort to provide frequent breaks to everyone on your team.
Check your urine colour to verify whether you are drinking adequate water.

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 HeatTemperature
Web Bulb Globe EHSCC
Index (WBGT) from Temperature & Relative Humidity
Heat IndexHeat Index
Indicators EHSCC

Danger Category / WBGT

HEAT Reacted Health Risk Controls
Flag Colour Index

IV. Extreme Danger > 40 Heat stroke or sunstroke imminent All work stopped

Sunstroke, heat Exhaustion or Heat

cramps likely. Heat Stroke possible
III. Danger 34 - 39 Elevated work stopped
with prolonged exposure and physical
activity.

Heat stroke, heat Exhaustion or Heat

No working alone self -
II. Extreme Caution 28 - 33 cramps possible with prolonged
pace
exposure and physical activity.

Continuous visual
Fatigue possible with prolonged monitoring of workers in
I. Caution 22 - 27
exposure and physical activity. direct sun and heavy
work
 Heat Index Work Rest Routine
WBGT and Recommended EHSCC
 Heat Index
Conclusion EHSCC

Heat stress at its simplest is the stress placed on the body by heat. Heat
stress can be as minor as a heat rash or as critical as heat stroke. The
foregoing plans, procedures, and actions have been established to manage
activities under hot, humid conditions.
 Thank you

Believe that EHS is an Enabler and you can make a different

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