Dashpivot Article – Heat Stress Safety

Heat Stress Safety

Heat Stress Safety in Construction Work

During the warmer months, construction workers often find themselves tackling outdoor projects under the blazing sun or refurbishing interiors without the benefit of air conditioning. These hot environments can present risks to both health and safety.

Heat stress poses a big problem in the construction industry, where workers face both high temperatures and hard physical work. Everyone is at risk, not just older people or those with health conditions. Even young and healthy people can suffer from heat stress if they do tough physical work in hot climates.

The risks only go up if you're not drinking enough water or wearing clothes that don't keep you cool. Drinking alcohol or taking certain medicines can also make it harder for your body to stay cool or sweat properly.

What is heat stress?

Heat stress happens when a worker is exposed to extreme heat, combining environmental conditions, physical activity, and clothing, which overwhelms the body's cooling system. When the body can't effectively regulate its temperature, it can lead to serious conditions like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Essentially, the body's natural cooling processes, like sweating and releasing heat, are unable to adequately lower its temperature.

It's essential for construction companies to be proactive about heat stress safety. Read on to learn about how heat stress affects the body, where heat stress often occurs in construction, and the best practices for heat stress safety in construction sites.

How Does Heat Stress Affect the Body?

Heat stress can manifest in various ways, ranging from mild symptoms like heat rash and muscle cramps to intense thirst. Additional signs include dizziness, headaches, body aches, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, nausea, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. If not addressed promptly, heat stress may escalate to more serious conditions such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion involves significant loss of water and salt due to excessive sweating, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, intense thirst, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle cramps, heavy breathing, heart palpitations, and numbness in the hands and feet.

Heat Stroke

When heat stroke happens, it requires immediate medical intervention. Heat stroke symptoms are severe and include a body temperature above 41°C (105.8°F), potential unconsciousness, confusion, either hot and dry skin or excessive sweating, and possibly seizures.

Other Serious Conditions to Watch Out For

When working hard in the heat, one might experience heat cramps. These painful cramps are due to losing too much salt and water through sweating.

Another common issue in hot workplaces is heat rash, which occurs when sweat doesn't evaporate and keeps the skin wet. This condition leads to red bumps on the skin and a prickly feeling, especially under tight clothing. If not addressed, these bumps can get infected. The good news is, cooling down in a less hot environment usually clears up heat rash.

Where Does Heat Stress Occur in Construction?

Heat stress is a significant risk in construction sites where work often involves strenuous physical tasks in warm conditions. A key indicator of heat stress risk is when work activities cause the body's core temperature to exceed 38°C (100.4°F).

This can happen indoors, such as in mills, foundries, electrical vaults, or during interior renovations, as well as outdoors in activities like road construction, excavation, roofing, and residential construction.

Are there other factors that can influence heat stress?

Besides the work environment, personal factors like age, weight, fitness level, acclimatisation to heat, metabolic rate, hydration status, and the consumption of alcohol or drugs can affect an individual's vulnerability to heat stress. Medical conditions such as hypertension also play a role, as does a history of prior heat-related injuries.

Moreover, the risk of heat stress is not determined by air temperature alone. Radiant heat, air movement, direct contact with hot surfaces, and humidity levels all contribute to how the body responds to heat.

Clothing choice is another crucial factor that can either mitigate or exacerbate heat stress risks. Wearing semi-permeable or impermeable protective gear, necessary for tasks like asbestos removal, can greatly increase the risk of heat stress.

The Role of Employers in Heat Stress Safety

Employers play a crucial role in safeguarding their workers from heat stress. Even though the Occupational Health and Safety Act doesn't specifically address heat exposure, it's the employer's duty under this act to ensure the well-being of their workers in hot environments. This involves creating a comprehensive health and safety policy that covers heat stress prevention.

Essential measures employers can take may include:

Providing first-aid training to employees.
Establishing appropriate work/rest schedules.
Ensuring workers stay hydrated.
Regularly monitoring the work environment for heat conditions.
Educating workers on heat stress, including safety talks during warmer seasons or in hot work settings.
Implementing training and acclimatisation programs for new hires, returning employees, and those with health conditions.
Prioritising engineering controls to manage heat exposure.
Modifying work practices in response to heat stress complaints.

Best Practices for Heat Stress Safety on Construction Sites and Workplaces

Acclimatisation

It's crucial to get workers accustomed to the heat gradually. Start with shorter exposure times and increase them over a few days. For those with previous heat exposure experience, begin with 50% exposure on the first day, increasing to full exposure by the fourth day. New workers should start at 20% exposure, increasing by 20% each day.

Clothing

Opt for loose, light-colored, lightweight garments like cotton that allow sweat to evaporate freely. For outdoor tasks, a wide-brimmed hat is essential to shield your head and face from the sun.

Minimise Physical Strain

Lighten the workload by limiting tasks that require excessive physical effort, such as heavy lifting or digging. Distribute tasks among more workers, bring in relief workers, and ensure there's a system in place to prevent overworking.

Create Recovery Zones

Set up recovery areas that are air-conditioned or shaded for workers to take breaks. These spaces are essential for rest and hydration, especially during peak heat times.

Hydration

Ensure workers have access to cool water or non-alcoholic drinks, encouraging them to drink small amounts often. It's important that workers maintain high fluid intake. Opt for water or sports drinks, steering clear of caffeinated beverages like soda, coffee, and tea, as these can increase dehydration.

Work Scheduling

Whenever feasible, arrange demanding tasks for the cooler parts of the day. If working through warmer periods is unavoidable, mix in lighter tasks or work in shaded areas to manage exposure. During times of high heat and humidity, limit strenuous work to about half or a quarter of the hour, depending on the severity of the conditions.

Worker Health Monitoring

Keep a close eye on workers at risk of heat stress, especially those in heavy or non-breathable clothing, and those engaging in physically demanding tasks. Monitoring can include checks on heart rate, body temperature, and hydration levels.

Supervisors should monitor for heat stress symptoms, permit work breaks for those feeling overheated, ensure adequate hydration facilities, and enforce rest periods. They are also responsible for implementing suitable work practices, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment to minimise heat stress risks.

Heat Stress Safety Training

Training every team member to recognise the early signs of heat stress is essential. They must understand the importance of staying hydrated, replenishing electrolytes, and identifying symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

Recognising the risks and implementing effective safety measures can prevent heat-related health issues among workers. Ensuring a safe working environment not only protects employees but also promotes a culture of health and safety on construction sites.

One way to promote a safety culture in your organisation can be holding regular safety meetings and discussions as a key strategy to combat and prevent heat stress incidents in the workplace.

For an example of how to conduct a heat stress safety meeting, we have included a heat stress toolbox talk template below.

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Tackling Heat Stress Safety with Toolbox Talks

Heat stress is a major concern for jobs that take place outdoors, in poorly ventilated spaces, or involve using equipment that increases temperature.

To effectively address heat stress in safety meetings, incorporating toolbox talks is essential. These talks should cover key areas like recognising heat stress symptoms, preventive measures, and potential risks.

Our free heat stress toolbox talk template simplifies the process of organising and conducting these important discussions, providing structured sections for all necessary talking points.