Preventing Heat Related Illness with Acclimatization

Train workers and supervisors on how to recognize symptoms of heat stress and the steps for the proper administration of first aid based on symptoms exhibited.

• According to the National Institute of Health a 1-2% drop in body water loss leads to mental fatigue and can impair cognitive performance? This drop could contribute to slips, trips and falls or near misses.
• Occupational injuries have an impact on your company’s profitability. One Heat Prostration (overheating of the body due to extreme weather conditions) costs nearly $38,000 in direct costs plus another $41,000 in indirect costs*. Assess the impact a heat-related workplace injury will have your profitability by using OSHA’s $afety Pays Program.
• According to an article in EHS Today, at temperatures of 92°F or higher, there is a 16.6 percent decrease in productivity.

*Using the 3% profit margin default.

While some hot workplaces encourage their employees to drink an electrolyte beverage like Sword prior to starting their workday, the CDC also has guidelines to safely and properly acclimate to repeated exposure to a hot environment which are beneficial to physiological adaptations including:

• Increased sweating efficiency (earlier onset of sweating, greater sweat production, and reduced electrolyte loss in sweat).
• Stabilization of the circulation.
• The ability to perform work with lower core temperature and heart rate.
• Increased skin blood flow at a given core temperature.

The CDC further suggests that to acclimatize workers, gradually increase their exposure time in hot environmental conditions over a 7-14 day period. New workers will need more time to acclimatize than workers who have already had some exposure.

If a worker is out of the office for more than a few days, they may need to gradually reacclimate to the environment to avoid heat-related illness. However regaining acclimatization may be achieved in as little as 2-3 days once returning to the hot job.

*A potentially fatal medical condition where damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood.
** Fainting/Dizziness

According to bls.gov, fifty-seven deaths (16.6 percent) occurred to workers ages 55 to 64 from 2011 to 2019. During that period, 144 workers (41.9 percent) died from environmental heat exposure while they were engaged in construction, repair, or cleaning, and 54 workers (15.7 percent) died while conducting materials handling operations.

Drinking plenty of fluids – especially those with electrolytes* – will help to replenish critical salt and minerals and keep you hydrated.

Start teaching your employees the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and consider using a buddy system for those working in hot temperatures. Properly treating a person experiencing the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses can save their life.

*Electrolyte drinks contain salt and may not be appropriate for everyone. Before drinking hydration beverage, speak with your physician.

WBGT is used by Industrial Hygienists to measure heat stress in direct sunlight and takes several factors into account including temperature, humidity, wind speed, the angle of the sun and could cover.

Wet bulb temperature is an important factor in heat stress when the humidity level is 95% or above combined with heat temperatures 88 degrees or higher. So, how does this effect your employees?

• When these conditions occur, sweat can’t evaporate because heat and humidity are too high and the body is unable to cool itself down
• If both temperature and humidity exceed 95 degrees, conditions can be fatal causing people (even healthy people) to overheat and die
• A wet bulb temperature as low as 79 degrees can also cause serious impacts.
• While wet bulb instances are somewhat rare in the US, they have occurred along the Gulf of Mexico and in states including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, North Carolina, east Texas, Arizona and along the Florida Panhandle. Coastal areas can see higher impacts of wet bulb temperatures because of their proximity to high ocean surface temperatures and the intense continental heat can create an extreme humid heat situation.

Arbill’s EH&S Managed Services can provide heat stress training and Industrial Hygienist services to measure the wet bulb temperature in your workplace and provide suggestions on how to create a safe working environment and reduce heat-stress related injuries.

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