Don’t let your crews fall victim to heat illness this season.
As temperatures begin to heat up, organizations like Cal/OSHA are once again advising employers to be aware of the outside conditions for workers.
Employers can take precautionary measures to prevent heat illness this season.
In California alone, temperatures are on the rise already and are expected to be 15 to 25 degrees above normal in both the northern and southern regions.
Employers can take several steps in protecting their workers including:
- Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention.
- Provide plenty of cool, fresh water and encourage employees to drink water frequently.
- Provide a shaded area for workers to take a cool down recovery break.
- Prepare an emergency heat illness prevention plan for the worksite, with training for supervisors and workers on what to do if a worker shows signs or symptoms of heat illness.
Additionally, employers can take an extra step in preventing heat illness on the job. Cal/OSHA recommends that employers acclimate workers to outdoor environments, and during times of high heat, employers can:
- Observe workers for signs and symptoms of heat illness.
- Remind workers to drink water frequently.
- Provide close supervision of workers in their first 14 days of employment (to ensure acclimatization).
- Have effective communication systems in place to be able to call for emergency assistance if necessary.
OSHA has a campaign to prevent heat illness in outdoor workers and provides a variety of resources to learn more.
The Heat Illness Prevent Campaign started in 2011 and has reached more than seven million people and distributed more than half a million fact sheets, posters, quick cards, training guides and wallet cards.
