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Two tales of a summer day

How the sun can raise the stakes: could a similar scenario happen to you?

 

Scenario 1: If you can't stand the heat...

It's around noon on a summer day, and Jack expertly transfers trays of dinner rolls out of the oven in preparation for packaging. The industrial kitchen is hot - hotter than usual, in fact. That's summer for you. Normally, a hot kitchen is manageable. But today, Jack doesn't feel so good. "Dude," a co-worker calls out. "You okay?" Jack is not okay. He stumbles a little, looks pale, spaced out. Alert to the signs of heat stress, his colleague shouts for the supervisor, who immediately takes Jack to the lunch room, gives him water, and makes him rest. Jack quickly fees better. Crisis averted.

Scenario 2: Under the sun

It had been a knockout summer storm. Lightning had brought down an old oak back of the resort, shattering the maintenance shed. Today, however, the sun is relentless. And no tree means no shade. Sally can't believe how much she's perspiring. She and Jim have at least another two days of work ahead, cutting up and moving the debris. She is determined to pull her weight, and yet...she feels dizzy, weak. She stops what she's doing and stands there, swaying slightly. "hey, kid," Jim says, immediately turning off his power saw. "Let's get you out of this heat. Here. Drink this." And he hands Sally a bottle of water as he leads her to the resort. Later, resting in the air-conditioned staff room, Sally quickly feels better. Crisis averted.

One of the best ways employers can protect their workers is by equipping everyone with the information they need to recognize the signs of heat stress and protect one another. Learn about other easy, low or no-cost ways you can eliminate this hazard.

Heat stress is a year-round hazard for many workplaces - foundries and kitchens, for example - made more urgent in the summer months with the additional heat load of a humit sunny day. Hot environments lower workers' mental alertness and physical performance. One worker suffering from heat stress can jeopardize the safety of an entire crew, and compromise organizational productivity.

Many workplaces don't track incidents or near misses related to heat stress. Part of the reason is that workers - seasoned or otherwise - often consider extreme heat just part of the job. The fact is, when combined with other stresses, such as hard physical work, fluid loss, fatigue or some medical conditions, heat stress may lead to heat-related illness, disability and even death.

Symptoms include excessive sweating, headache, rashes, cramping, dizziness and fainting: the body's way of signaling an urgent need to cool down.

Ten easy, low or no-cost ways you can protect workers

The Ministry of Labour has identified ten controls to protect workers against heat stress:

1. Assess the demands of all jobs, and have monitoring and control strategies in place for hot days and hot workplaces
2. Reduce physical demands by using hoists, lift-tables, and similar devices
3. Increase the frequency and length of rest breaks
4. Schedule strenuous jobs for cooler times of the day
5. Assign additional workers or slow down the pace of work
6. Make sure workers are properly acclimatized
7. Ensure that pregnant workers and workers with a medical condition discuss working in the heat with their doctor
8. Ensure first aid responders and an emergency response plan are in place in the event of a heat-related illness
9. Caution workers to avoid direct sunlight
10. Investigate any heat-related incidents

Take the test

When an MOL inspector enters your workplace, be prepared - particularly if you employ young and new workers - to demonstrate that:

• Employees can recognize, assess and control hazards of working in the heat, its potential health effects and how to apply First Aid procedures to assist co-workers
• You are following exposure limits for your workplace
• You have measures in place to reduce heat exposure; for example, ventilation, insulating and reflective barriers
• Water is accessible to employees, and they're following the rules about how often and how much they need to drink at certain temperatures
• Employees are wearing personal protective equipment, where appropriate, such as hats and light, porous clothing

Check out these resources

• A long list of resources prepared by OSSA that include definitions, effects of heat exposure, control measures, employer prevention programs, exposure limits and legislation, and many free downloads
• Health and safety guidelines related to heat stress from the Ministry of Labour
• A Heat Stress Awareness Toolkit from the WSIB
• A Humidex Based Heat Response Plan from the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc.

 

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