SECTION XVI: HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION:

These guidelines apply to employees that are exposed to environmental risk factors for heat illness.

A. DEFINITIONS:

• Acclimatization : Temporary adaptation of the body to work in the heat that occurs gradually when a person is exposed to it. Acclimatization peaks in most people within four to fourteen days of regular work for at least two hours per day in the heat.
• Heat Illness: A serious medical condition resulting from the body’s inability to cope with a particular heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope and heat stroke.
• Environmental Risk Factors for Heat Illness: Working conditions that create the possibility that heat illness could occur, including air temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat from the sun and other sources, conductive heat sources such as the ground, air movement, workload severity and duration, protective clothing and personal protective equipment worn by employees.
• Personal Risk Factors for Heat Illness: Factors such as an individual’s age, degree of acclimatization, health, water consumption, alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption, and use of prescription medication that affect the body’s water retention or other physiological responses to heat.
• Preventative Recovery Period: A period of time to recover from the heat in order to prevent heat illness.
• Shade: Blockage of direct sunlight. Canopies, umbrellas and other temporary structures or devices may be used to provide shade. One indicator that blockage is sufficient is when objects do not cast a shadow in the area of blocked sunlight. Shade is not adequate when heat in the area of shade defeats the purpose of shade, which is to allow the body to cool. For example, a car sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable shade to a person inside it, unless the car is running with air conditioning.

B. ACCLIMATIZATION: The ability to acclimatize varies among workers. Generally, individuals in good physical condition acclimatize more rapidly than those in poor condition. Approximately one week of gradually increasing the workload and time spent in the hot environment will usually lead to full acclimatization. On the first day the individual performs 50 percent of the normal workload and spends 50 percent of the time in the hot environment. Each day an additional 10 percent of the normal workload and time is added so that by day six, the worker is performing the full workload for an entire day. The exposure time should be at least two hours per day for acclimatization to occur.

C. PROVISION OF WATER: The County will provide access to potable drinking water for employees. When environmental risk factors for heat illness exist, water shall be provided in sufficient quantity at the beginning of the work shift to provide one quart per employee per hour for drinking for the entire shift (one gallon every four hours). Employees may begin the shift with smaller quantities of water if they have effective procedures for replenishment during the shift as needed to allow employees to drink one quart or more per hour. The frequent drinking of water shall be encouraged. Employees are also encouraged to begin drinking water prior to work.

D. ACCESS TO SHADE: Employees suffering from heat illness or believing a preventative recovery period is needed, shall be provided access to an area with shade that is either open to the air or provided with ventilation or cooling for a period of no less than five minutes. Such access to shade shall be permitted at all times. Examples of shade areas are offices or shop buildings or vehicles with air conditioning. When working in remote areas where shade is not readily available, supervisors shall ensure that vehicles with operative air conditioners are available at the remote worksite or an alternative device (canopy, umbrella) is available at the remote worksite.

E. HEAT ILLNESS SYMPTOMS AND FIRST AID:

1. Heat Cramps

• Symptoms: Painful spasms, usually in leg and abdominal muscles; heavy sweating.
• First Aid: Get the victim to a cooler location. Lightly stretch and gently massage affected muscles to relieve spasms. Give sips of up to a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes (do not give liquids with caffeine or alcohol). Discontinue liquids if victim is nauseated.

2. Heat Syncope

• Symptoms: Faintness, dizziness, headache, increased pulse rate, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, brief loss of consciousness.
• First Aid: Get the victim to lie down in the shade or cool area, elevate the feet, drink fluids, and refrain from vigorous activities.
• Heat Exhaustion:
• Symptoms: Heavy sweating, but skin may be cool, pale or flushed. Weak pulse. Normal body temperature is possible, but temperature will likely rise. Fainting or dizziness, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion and headaches are possible.
• First Aid: Get victim to lie down in a cool place. Loosen or remove clothing. Apply cool, wet clothes. Fan or move victim to air-conditioned place. Give sips of water if victim is conscious. Be sure water is consumed slowly. Give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Discontinue water if victim is nauseated. Seek immediate medical attention if vomiting occurs.
• Heat Stroke :
• Symptoms: High body temperature (105+); hot, red, dry skin; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid shallow breathing. Victim will probably not sweat unless victim was sweating from recent strenuous activity. Possible unconsciousness.
• First Aid: Call 911 or emergency medical services immediately or immediately get the victim to a hospital. Delay can be fatal. Move victim to a cooler environment. Remove clothing. Try a cool bath, sponging, or wet sheet to reduce body temperature. Watch for breathing problems.

F. TRAINING: Training in the following topics shall be provided to all supervisory and non-supervisory employees who have exposure to environmental risk factors for heat illness.

• Environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness;
• The County’s policy for dealing with heat illness;
• The importance of frequent consumption of small quantities or water, up to 4 cups per hour under extreme conditions of work and heat;
• The importance of acclimatization;
• The different types of heat illness and the common signs and symptoms of heat illness;
• The importance of immediately reporting to the employer, directly or through the employee’s supervisor, symptoms or signs of heat illness in themselves or in co-workers;
• The procedures for responding to symptoms of possible heat illness;
• Procedures for contacting emergency medical services and if necessary for transporting employees to a point where they can be reached by emergency medical services;
• How to provide clear and precise directions to the worksite.

In addition to the training set forth above, supervisors who are assigned to the supervision of employees working in the heat, shall be trained regarding the procedures necessary to implement the heat illness policy and the procedures the supervisor is to follow when an employee exhibits symptoms consistent with possible heat illness including emergency response procedures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2001 County of Inyo
Last Updated: October 8, 2005 September 16, 2006