Heat Illness Prevention
Heat Illness is a serious medical condition resulting from the body’s inability to cope with a particular heat load and may include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. This greatly impacts employees that work outdoors or in other spaces where environmental risk factors for heat illness are present.
Managers and supervisors must:
-
Make drinking water available and plentiful.
-
Make shaded areas available when requested by the employee. NOTE: Shading is required at 80 degrees or more.
-
Monitor the weather (current and forecast) and adjust workloads accordingly. You are required to implement high-heat procedures when temperatures equal or exceed 95 degrees.
-
Be vigilant for signs of heat illness and respond quickly.
-
Have an emergency plan ready.
-
Ensure that all employees are trained on heat illness prevention.
Employee:
-
Stay hydrated; drink water frequently.
-
Use shaded areas; take frequent breaks. Notify your supervisor if shading is unavailable.
-
Report heat illness symptoms to the supervisor.
-
Report heat illness symptoms of coworkers to the supervisor.
-
Comply with all provisions of the Heat Illness Prevention Program.
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S):
-
Administer the Heat Illness Prevention Program and update it annually.
-
Consult with the department about the Heat Illness Prevention Program.
-
Provide Heat Illness Prevention Training
Occupational Health Center:
-
Evaluate employees suspected of or having suffered a heat illness prior to returning to work
Additional resources
Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard
Work Planning and Site Checklist
Remote Location Emergency Response Information
Emergency Response Guidance Document