HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

What is Heat Stress?

• Heat stress is the combination of
environmental and physical work
factors that constitute the total heat
load imposed on the body.

• The total net heat load on the body,

that results from exposure to
external sources and from internal
metabolic heat production. (ACGIH)
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

Potential for Heat Stress

The following factors should be evaluated to
determine the potential for heat stress.
• Humidity, Ambient Temperature
• Required work clothing - the potential for heat
stress increases as the permeability of the work
clothing increases
• Employee’s conditioning and/or acclimatization
• Type of work required - heavy, moderate or light
work
• Employee’s age, weight and fitness
• Employee’s previous project experience or
history
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Potential for Heat Stress

HEAT INDEX TABLE
The index is a measure of the
contribution that high humidity mixed
with abnormally high temperatures
reduces the body’s ability to cool
itself. For example, the index shows
that for an air temperature of 37.8 oC
and a relative humidity of 50%, the
effect on the human body would be
the same as 48.9 oC
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Potential for Heat Stress
HEAT INDEX TABLE
AT 21.1 23.9 26.7 29.4 32.2 35.0 37.8 40.6 43.3 46.1
RH Apparent Temperature Effect on Human Body
0% 17.8 20.6 22.8 25.6 28.3 30.6 32.8 35.0 37.2 39.4
10% 18.3 21.1 23.9 26.7 29.4 32.2 35.6 37.8 40.6 43.9
20% 18.9 22.2 25.0 27.8 30.6 33.9 37.2 40.6 44.4 48.9
30% 19.4 22.8 25.6 28.9 32.2 35.6 40.0 45.0 50.6 57.2
40% 20.0 23.3 26.1 30.0 33.9 38.3 43.3 50.6 58.3 66.1
50% 20.6 23.9 27.2 31.1 35.6 41.7 48.9 57.2 65.6
60% 21.1 24.4 27.8 32.2 37.8 45.6 55.6 65.0
70% 21.1 25.0 29.4 33.9 41.1 51.1 62.2
80% 21.7 25.6 30.0 36.1 45.0 57.8 69.4
90% 21.7 26.1 31.1 38.9 50.0 65.6 76.7

AT – Air Temperature; RH – Relative Humidity

 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

Knowing and Understanding

Heat Disorders
Everyone engaged or will have to be
involved in continuous activities, indoor or
outdoor, who are at risk of heat stress
arising from their work or from the working
environment, particularly during hot
summer months, must be familiar with the
symptoms of heat disorders and their
appropriate emergency actions or first-aid
measures to be taken when need arise.
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Heat Stress Disorders

HEAT STROKE
A Medical Emergency
The most serious health
problem for workers in
hot environments, is
caused by the failure of
the body’s internal
mechanism to regulate
its core temperature.
Sweating stops and the
body can no longer rid
itself of excess heat.
HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Heat Stress Disorders
HEAT STROKE
Symptoms:
• Mental
confusion; Hot,
dry skin
• Very high body
temperature
• No sweating or
lack of sweating
• Very small pupils
• Loss of
consciousness;
convulsions
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Heat Stress Disorders

What To Do?
HEAT STROKE
• Call for help
• Move to a
cool/shady place,
remove outer
clothing
• Wet or spray the
skin with cold water
• Apply CPR if victim
losses consciousness
and heart stops.
Seek medical
assistance
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
In case you encounter this situation

Inform your Supervisor at once

Call the ambulance

Site Nurse Safety Officer

Safety Manager
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Heat Stress Disorders
HEAT EXHAUSTION
Heat Exhaustion
results from
excessive loss of
salt and/or water
through sweating.
Symptoms:
• Pale complexion; Intense thirst
• Headache, Nausea
• Sweating with extreme fatigue
• Impaired judgment
• Loss of muscle co-ordination
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Heat Stress Disorders

HEAT EXHAUSTION What To Do?

• Call for help
• Move to a cool /
shady place and
loosen clothing
• Rest in reclining
position (feet raised
above the body)
• Apply wet, cold
clothes to wrists
and forehead
• Drink cold fluids.
Seek medical
assistance
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
In case you encounter this situation

Inform your Supervisor at once

Call the ambulance

Site Nurse Safety Officer

Safety Manager
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Heat Stress Disorders
HEAT COLLAPSE (Fainting)
Difficulty of body with heat. Since
brain doesn’t receive enough
oxygen, due to excessive pooling
of blood in the extremities, victim
may loss consciousness. This
reaction is similar to that of heat
exhaustion and does not affect the
body’s heat balance. However, the
onset of heat collapse is rapid and
unpredictable.
What To Do?
• Move to a cool / shady place and loosen clothing
• Apply wet, cold clothes to wrists and forehead
• Seek medical assistance
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
In case you encounter this situation

Inform your Supervisor at once

Call the ambulance

Site Nurse Safety Officer

Safety Manager
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Heat Stress Disorders

HEAT CRAMPS What To Do?

Massage affected
muscles, drink plenty
of water and take rest.
Important! Salt tablets
are not recommended
for this purpose, as
they tend to cause
retention of both salt
and water in the
digestive system that
deprives the rest of the
body of water and
electrolytes.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

ACCLIMATIZATION
Human body can adapt
to heat exposure up to a
point. This physiological
adaptation is called
“acclimatization”.
This process requires
exposure of individuals
in hot environment on a
progressive scale.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Exposure Regimen
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) recommends the following exposure
regimen: (ref. OSHA Technical Manual)

For new workers with 20% Exposure on day 1 with

no previous exposure: a 20% increase in exposure
each additional day.
For old workers with 50% exposure on day 1
previous exposure, 60% exposure on day 2
e.g. site returnees 80% exposure on day 3
who need to be re- 100% exposure on day 4
acclimatized:
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Engineering Controls
Shielding or using sun barriers in locations
where prolonged / continuous activities in the
hot sun are to be performed. Sun shields
reduce or interrupt radiant heat however; they
must be installed so as not to cause another
form of hazards e.g. fall / fire hazards. They
must be secured safely and the materials used
should be of non-combustible or fire retardant
type. Sunshields must also be installed in such
a way that they will not interfere with the
airflow.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Sunshields where applicable, i.e. lay down yard

 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Engineering Controls
Use of ventilating fans / blowers to cool down and
circulate the air in confined spaces.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Engineering Controls
Use of power tools / mechanical
equipment to reduce physical demand.

Good Better Best

 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Administrative Controls

Adjustment of work
schedule e.g. early
morning, increase
frequency or extend
rest breaks to avoid
hottest part of the
day or observe night
work.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures
Administrative Controls
• Rotation of workers in • Provision of cool welfare
confined spaces e.g. facilities such as heat
vessels, tanks, deep stress shelters / recovery
excavations, etc. areas and first aid clinic
at locations closely
accessible to workers.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Administrative Controls
• Increase awareness campaign and
training on heat stress
management.

• Ample supply of cool

drinking water / re-
hydration fluids. Drinking
water supply must be
maintained at least 1 quart
per worker per hour.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Fluid Replacement
DON’T depend on your thirst. It’s recommended to
consume 1 cup per 20 minutes of cool (10-16 oC)
liquid.

In high-heat work
environment,
physically active
workers can lose
up to 1.5 liters of
water each hour in
the form of sweat.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Clothing
• Wear light colored
clothing made of


natural fibers
(cotton) which
deflects heat.

• Avoid wearing dark

colored clothing,
synthetic fibers
(polyester) which
absorbs heat.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Food
• Eat balance, fiber • Avoid heavy and/or
rich and easy to spicy meals.
digest food.
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

Drinks
• It is recommended • Avoid alcoholic
to take replenishing beverages, they help
drinks, i.e. Gatorade increase chances of
and fruit juices. dehydration.



 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Exercise


Physically fit employees are more
resistant to heat illnesses
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
Control Measures

Remember the Heat Equation …

High Temperature
+ HEAT
Humidity =
+ ILLNESS
Physical Work
control any of the 3 elements,
and you can avoid heat illness
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

Summary of important elements of

Heat Stress Management
 Know heat disorders, their symptoms and actions
required
 Understand preventive and control measures
 Get acclimatized
 Good training
 Shielding / cool welfare facilities
 Work rotation / shifting
 More fluid than normally required
 Light food / light colored clothing
 Healthy body / good physical fitness
HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

Thank you.

The End…