HEAT STRESS PLAN

NLC FGD PROJECT, NEYVELI

 1. INTRODUCTION

Heat related illness and discomforts are very common to people having prolonged exposure to hot
and humid weather condition with physical labors. If appropriate precautions are not taken people
may suffer from Heat Cramp, Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke resulting to severe health effects.

Heat-related illnesses are preventable. The important thing is to stay well-hydrated, to make sure
that the body can get rid of extra heat, and to be sensible about exertion in hot, humid weather.

Sweat is the body's main system for getting rid of extra heat. When people sweat, and the water
evaporates from the skin, the heat that evaporates the sweat comes mainly from the skin. If blood
is flowing properly to the skin, extra heat from the core of the body is "pumped" to the skin and
removed by sweat evaporation. If persons do not sweat enough, the body cannot get rid of extra
heat well, and people also can't get rid of heat as well if blood is not flowing to the skin.
Dehydration will make it harder to cool of body in two ways: if you are dehydrated you won't sweat
as much, and your body will try to keep blood away from the skin to keep your blood pressure at
the right level in the core of your body. But, since you lose water when you sweat, you must make
up that water to keep from becoming dehydrated. The best fluid to drink when you are sweating
is water. Although there is a little salt in your sweat, you don't really lose that much salt with your
sweat, except in special circumstances; taking salt tablets may raise your body's sodium level to
hazardous levels. Therefore, before taking extra salt, it is recommended to get advice from doctor
concerned

2. PURPOSE

This procedure outlines the Safety precautionary measures to be adopted during the works under
high humid and hot weather conditions. It also ensures advance awareness of conditions that can
lead to heat related illnesses to minimize the element of health risks and/or danger to all
Employees including Subcontractor personnel.

3. SCOPE

The procedure enables to protect all employees of L&T and its sub-contractors at NLC FGD Project
from heat related illness during works and improving Health and Safety

4. CAUSES OF HEAT STRESS

4.1 Individual Susceptibility

As individual susceptibility towards heat varies, It is difficult to identify who will be affected and
when by heat stress.
 Age, body weight, physical fitness, degree of acclimatization, metabolism, use of alcohol or drugs,
and a variety of medical conditions such as hypertension etc. affect a person's sensitivity to heat.
Even the type of clothing worn must also be considered.

In addition, environmental factors include more than the ambient air temperature. Radiant heat,
air movement, conduction, and relative humidity all affect an individual's response to heat.

4.2 Temperature

The higher the air temperature, the less heat the body can lose by convection, conduction, and
radiation. If the temperature of the environment increases above skin temperature, the body will
gain heat from the environment instead of losing heat to it.

4.3 Relative Humidity

Since high humidity reduces the body's ability to get rid of excess heat by sweating, for a given air
temperature the higher the humidity the higher the apparent temperature, or heat index. For
example, if the air temperature is 86 degrees Fahrenheit (or 30 degrees Celsius), but the relative
humidity is 90 percent, then the heat index will be 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.7 degrees Celsius).
In this case, body will have to sweat as much to get rid of extra heat at 86 degrees Fahrenheit in
90 percent humidity as it would in a dry desert at 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

In general, if the moisture concentration in the air is less the evaporative heat loss from the skin
will be more and body becomes cool more easily.

4.4 Wind Speed

Heat loss from body increases with the increase of wind speed as the convective and evaporative
heat loss increases with increasing wind speed.

4.5 Clothing Insulation

Clothing functions as a barrier to heat and moisture transfer between skin and environment. In
this way it can protect against extreme heat and cold, but at the same time it hampers the loss
of excessive body heat generated during physical effort.

5. HEAT STRESS HAZARDS

5.1 Heat Rash

Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Hot humid Red bumpy rash Change into dry Wash regularly to
environment; with severe clothes and avoid hot keep skin clean and
plugged sweat glands itching environments. Rinse dry.
skin with cool water
 5.2 Sun burn

Too much exposure to Red, painful, or If the skin blisters, Work in the shade:
the sun. blistering and seek medical aid. Use cover skin with
peeling skin skin lotions (avoid clothing; Use
topical anesthetics) sunburn cream;
and work in the shade People with fair
skin should be
especially cautious.

5.3 Heat Cramp

Heavy sweating Painful cramps in Move to a cool area; When working in

drains a person's body arms, legs or loosen clothing and the heat, workers
of salt, which cannot stomach which drink cool salted water should put salt on
be replaced just by occur suddenly at or commercial fluid their food (if on a
drinking water. work or later at replacement low-salt diet, this
home. beverage. If the should be discussed
cramps are severe or with a doctor). This
Cramps are don't go away, seek will give the body
serious because medical aid.
all the salt it needs;
they can be a don't take salt
warning of other tablets.
more dangerous
heat-induced
illnesses.

5.4 Fainting

Not enough blood Sudden fainting Fainting may be due to Reduce activity
flowing to the head, after at least two a heart attack or other levels and/or heat
causing loss of hours of work; illness. GET MEDICAL exposure. Drink
consciousness. cool moist skin; ATTENTION. Assess fluids regularly.
weak pulse. need for CPR. Workers should
check on each
Move to a cool area; other to help spot
loosen clothing; make the symptoms
person lie down; and if which often
the person is precede heat
conscious, offer sips of stroke
cool water.
 5.5 Heat Exhaustion

Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Inadequate salt Heavy sweating; GET MEDICAL AID. Reduce activity levels
and water intake cool moist skin; This condition can and/or heat exposure.
causes a person's body temperature lead to heat stroke, Drink fluids regularly.
body's cooling over 38oC; weak which can kill. Workers should check
system to start to pulse; normal or Move the person to on each other to help
break down. low blood pressure; a cool shaded area; spot the symptoms
person is tired, loosen or remove which often precede
weak, clumsy, excess clothing; heat stroke.
upset or confused; provide cool water
is very thirsty; or is to drink (salted if
panting or possible); fan and
breathing rapidly, spray with cool
vision may be water.
blurred.

5.6 Heat Stroke

If a person's body High body CALL AMBULANCE. Reduce activity levels

has used up all its temperature (over (8015955842) This and/or heat exposure.
water and salt, it 41oC) and any one condition can kill a Drink fluids regularly.
will stop sweating. of the following: person quickly. Workers should check
This can cause the person is weak, Remove excess on each other to help
body temperature confused, upset or clothing; fan and spot the symptoms
to rise. acting strangely; spray the person which often precede
has hot, dry, red with cool water; heat stroke.
skin; a fast pulse; a offer sips of cool
headache or water if the person
dizziness. In later is conscious.
stages, a person
may pass out and
have convulsions.
 6. PREVENTION OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESS

Workers in hot environments shall be encouraged to take rest time to time during work.
Experienced workers can often judge heat strain and limit their exposure accordingly.
Inexperienced workers may need special attention as they may continue to work beyond the point
at which signs of heat strain appear

6.1 Medical Controls:

As individuals can vary considerably in their ability to tolerate heat, a careful watch must be
always kept, with comprehensive monitoring in place.

• Regular rehydration - People working in hot environments should drink 500 ml water every 15
to 20 minutes as a guideline minimum. The consumption of Tea and Coffee should be reduced
during the Heat Stress months since they contain caffeine which can lead to dehydration.
Running water taps are available at prominent locations to avail. All the workforces are
provided with water cans, and they can drink water regularly. Two temporary rest sheds are
made at site and the water bottles are kept in those sheds.
People should drink enough fluids so that they need to urinate slightly more often than
usual. L&T ensure that water is available, and that the workers drink it. The same was discussed
in the toolbox talks every day with the work force to enough consume water frequently.

• Eat healthy - Oily food intake should be reduced. Most people do not need to add extra salt
to their diet. The normal intake of salt in their food is usually sufficient. Additional salt is
only justified for unacclimatised workers and is best taken in the form of a salty liquid. If a
person is on a salt-reduced or salt-free diet, they should seek medical advice.

• Pre-employment medical examinations – It must be done to ensure that all who are going to
be on the job are sufficiently fit and have no precluding medical conditions.

• Hydration Self Evaluation – Each worker shall monitor the amount of urine and its colour as a
n indication of the hydration status and so an alert for the person. Ensure your urine color is
like normal watercolor if not then increase drinking of water. Although urine colors also
changes while medication.
Medical treatment- For any heat related illness person concerned or his colleague shall
immediately inform the supervisor / site engineer and accordingly first aids shall be provided
with. In need, the victim shall be referred to NLC General hospital for further medical
treatment as per the advice of first aider at site.
 6.2 Acclimatization (Administrative Control):

All new workers that are new to the work force on site must be allowed time to become
acclimatized to the work environment before being assigned full duties and workloads. Each
worker will be given a reasonable amount of time to adapt to the extreme heat inherent to
summer work environments on site. Work shall be performed in groups with close supervision.

6.3 Fluid Replacements:

Water in normal temperature should be made available to workers and to encourage them to
drink small amounts frequently (for example, 500ml every 15 minutes). Sufficient supply of
water should be placed close to work areas, ORS should also be supplied as required and workers
shall be encouraged salting their food as well. Sufficient ORS packets will be available in the
first aid center, workmen camp and sub-contractor offices.

6.4 Education:

Employees should be educated about the heat related illness and safety measures during the
work in hot and humid summer seasons. Through education employees become

• aware of the need to replace fluids and salt lost through sweat
• able to recognize dehydration, exhaustion, fainting, heat cramps, salt deficiency, heat
exhaustion, and heat stroke as heat disorders
• aware of taking rest in rest shelters time to time

6.5 Work and Rest Periods:

Taking rest during work under the shed can help workers to avoid heat stress; accordingly
temporary rest shelters at various work locations of the site were provided. Drinking water shall
also be provided at work site and all drinking water tanks shall be under shed to keep water cool.

Supervisors should be able to detect early signs of heat stress and should permit workers to
interrupt their work if they are extremely uncomfortable. Close supervision of the work during hot
and humid summer season.

6.6 Monitoring of work:

Only physically fit, workers should be allowed to work in conditions where severe heat stress is a
possibility.

Every worker who works in conditions that increase the risk of heat stress should be personally
monitored. Personal monitoring can be done by checking the heart rate, recovery heart rate, oral
temperature, or extent of body water loss.

7. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS IN HOT CONDITIONS

:
• Drink plenty of water; it is better to take small volumes of cool water about every 15-20
minutes.
• Increase the frequency and length of rest breaks.
• Work together in groups, avoid loan working
• If you feel uneasy / discomfort, stop activity report to your supervisor and take rest. Seek
medical attention in need
• Avoid too tight and polyester clothing, Light clothing should be worn to allow free air
movement and sweat evaporation. Wear light color clothing.
• Close supervision of the job and ensure no one is exhausted
• Assign additional workers or slow down work pace in need
• Make sure everyone is properly acclimatized
• Ensure provision of good ventilation & shielding from radiant heat source if any
• Provide accurate verbal and written instructions, frequent training programs, and other
information about heat stress and strain.
• Assure co-worker observation to detect signs and symptoms of heat stress and strain.
• Pay extra attention to those who take medications that compromise normal
cardiovascular, blood pressure, body temperature regulation, renal, or sweat gland
functions.
• Pay extra attention to those who abuse or who are recovering from the abuse of alcohol
or other intoxicants.