How to Protect Your Employees from Heat Stress
Over 3,000 US workers are treated for heat related illness every year, and approximately 600 or more don’t survive.
The summer months can bring high temps across the United States. While many of us seek air conditioned indoors spaces, the summer doesn’t stop thousands of employees that work essential jobs outdoors in the heat. Workers such as construction workers, roofers, solar panel technicians, landscapers, farmers, surveyors, window washers, etc. are at an increased risk for heat-related illness, including heat stress and heat stroke.
Heat-Related Stress and the Labor Force
The Columbia Journalism School and NPR both reviewed hundreds of documents, files, court records, inspections, and death investigation files in 2021 relating to fatalities caused by heat-related stress and illness on the job. At the time of the research, their findings uncovered some startling truths about the lack of protection for heat-related illness, not only by employers, but also by the federal government and its institutions. A few of their findings include:
The Columbia Journalism School and NPR both reviewed hundreds of documents, files, court records, inspections, and death investigation files in 2021 relating to fatalities caused by heat-related stress and illness on the job. At the time of the research, their findings uncovered some startling truths about the lack of protection for heat-related illness, not only by employers, but also by the federal government and its institutions. A few of their findings include:
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lacks a national heat standard to protect employees working in the heat. (Note: In 2022, OSHA did announce its first ever national emphasis program to protect workers from indoor and outdoor heat hazards)
- Many employees died from a heat-related incident during their first week on the job as they were not acclimated to the high temperatures
- More than a dozen companies had employees complain about the heat prior to an incident
- Many employees suffered heat-related illness after not having ample water or breaks in the shade
- OSHA officials acknowledge that heat-related illness on the job is under-reported and that there are many more each year that aren’t reported
- More than two-thirds of heat-related incidents occurred on days that the temperatures were at least 90 degrees
Workers such as roofers, solar panel technicians and window washers are especially at risk for heat related illness, often being highly exposed to sun while standing on or near surfaces that radiate heat. Thankfully, with the right safety equipment, and being diligent with safety measures, heat-related illness on the job is preventable.
Heat Stress Safety with Worker Safety Pro
The Becklar WorkerSafety Pro app helps protects thousands of employees, such as Sunnova Energy International employees, from a variety of workplace hazards with emergency and scheduled check-in protocols as well as accurate fall and worker-down detection. Heat stress monitoring is the latest safety protocol to be added to the robust WorkerSafety Pro app and its Dashboard to help keep employees safe on the job with an effective Safety Plan.
Temperature Readings
Using an advanced algorithm, the WorkerSafety Pro app calculates the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). This temperature is the most accurate representation of what the human body actually experiences in hot environments. Through the WorkerSafety Pro Dashboard, organization administrators can set various work factors including exertion level and clothing type. These factors are combined to determine the most accurate representation of heat experienced by the employee to help ensure their safety.
WBGT uses many data points to accurately calculate temperature including:
- Temperature measured in the sun
- Relative humidity
- Wind speed
- Cloud cover
- Sun angle
These additional data points increase the accuracy of the actual outside temperature and how it affects your employees.
Clothing Levels
Additionally, the WorkerSafety Pro Platform also takes clothing type into account, as many occupations require different types of clothing while on the job site. Using the online Safety Dashboard, administrators can choose the appropriate option for clothing that best represents the workforce. Each clothing setting will adjust the WBGT and increase employees’ safety.
Exertion Levels
Exertion levels are an additional data set that administrators can input into the Safety Dashboard to improve the effectiveness of the Safety Plan for their employees. Identified exertion levels alter the water intake and break frequency recommendations that appear on the Safety Plan. For example, if administrators know the labor for the day is intense, even though the temperature is a low-heat risk (low 80s), the Safety Plan will adjust recommended water breaks considering the intensity of the work to keep employees properly hydrated and safe from overheating.
Heat Zones
In the Safety Plan on the Worker Safety Pro app, there are five identified heat zones:
- No heat risk: Location below 80 degrees Fahrenheit and allows for normal work practices
- Low heat risk: Location is between 80 and 84.9 degrees Fahrenheit and requires additional water intake and breaks.
- Moderate heat risk: Location is between 85 and 87.9 degrees Fahrenheit and requires additional caution, water, and break time.
- High heat risk: Location is between 88 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and requires additional caution, water, and break time.
- Extreme heat risk: Location is above 90 degrees and requires frequent water intake and breaks in shaded areas.
Based on the exertion levels and clothing requirements input by administration, along with the WBGT temperature in the online Dashboard, employees will receive safety notifications on their phone or smartwatch while on the job that look like this example (pictured):
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Final Thoughts on Heat Stress and Employee Safety
These notifications have been effective in helping employees avoid heat-related illness while on the job. When employees receive water and break recommendations from their employer, they are more likely to follow protocols and stay safe from heat stress and other heat-related illnesses.
Over 3,000 US workers are treated for heat-related illnesses every year, and approximately 600 or more don’t survive. Heat-related illness or death on the job is 100% preventable with the implementation of an effective safety plan. With the WorkerSafety Pro app and Dashboard, employees can stay better protected with heat exposure notifications, break recommendations, and heat stress monitoring.
Create a culture of safety and learn more about the WorkerSafety Pro app by contacting a Becklar Workforce Safety specialist today.