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Heat Safety: There's an App for That!

Heat Safety: There's an App for That!

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ASHLYN LANDGRAF
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


Now that we are fully immersed in the summer months, there are several considerations that need to be taken into account when planning for work. The most important is preparing the workforce for working in the heat. Every year, thousands of workers become victims to heat-related illnesses, but with the proper preventive measures, we can eliminate their occurrence.

As part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s campaign to Keep Workers Safe in the Heat, a variety of resources have been made available to help in planning work tasks so action can be taken to prevent heat-related illness. As part of this campaign, OSHA has partnered with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to develop the Heat Safety Tool. This tool is available as an app on Android and Apple devices in both English and Spanish. Due to the tool’s mobile capability, it can easily be accessed to provide real-time information on demand.

Once downloaded, the tool permits workforce planners, and even the workforce itself, to input their workplace location to determine the corresponding heat index for a given day, even hour-by-hour. The heat index is a more accurate value in determining the susceptibility of heat-related illnesses than only using the air temperature. It takes into account the relative humidity along with the air temperature into a single value that represents how hot the weather actually feels to the individual working in the heat.

Once the heat index is calculated, the tool will display an associated risk level (low, moderate, high, very high/extreme) and provide suggested measures to be implemented to aid in the protection against heat-related illnesses. All applicable controls should be considered during the planning of work to ensure the appropriate resources are available so the workforce can be protected in the hottest weather.

Heat-related illnesses are 100 percent preventable. Take proactive measures to protect your workforce. To download the Heat Safety Tool smartphone app, visit OSHA’s website at https://www.osha.gov/heat/.


Water. Rest. Shade.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
https://www.osha.gov/


Our campaign
Our Heat Illness Prevention campaign, launched in 2011, educates employers and workers on the dangers of working in the heat. Through training sessions, outreach events, informational sessions, publications, social media messaging and media appearances, millions of workers and employers have learned how to protect workers from heat. Our safety message comes down to three key words: Water. Rest. Shade.

Dangers of working in the heat
Every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in extreme heat or humid conditions. More than 40 percent of heat-related worker deaths occur in the construction industry, but workers in every field are susceptible. There are a range of heat illnesses and they can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition.

Employer responsibility to protect workers
Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards. This includes protecting workers from extreme heat. An employer with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish a complete heat illness prevention program.

• Provide workers with water, rest and shade.

• Allow new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize, or build a tolerance for working in the heat.

• Plan for emergencies and train workers on prevention.

• Monitor workers for signs of illness.

Resources
OSHA's Occupational Exposure to Heat page, https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/index.html, explains what employers can do to keep workers safe and what workers need to know, including factors for heat illness, adapting to working in indoor and outdoor heat, protecting workers, recognizing symptoms and first aid training. The page also includes resources for specific industries and OSHA workplace standards. Also look for heat illness educational and training materials on our Publications page at https://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.athruz?pType=Industry&pID=571.



  • 1 July 2018
  • Author: Army Safety
  • Number of views: 2010
  • Comments: 0
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