The Heat is On!

As we are starting to see signs of springtime in the Rockies, we should be planning for rapid temperature fluctuations. We are currently seeing temperature swing from -2° F to 70° F F in a matter of days and that is just in March. 

Although most of us are welcoming of the warmer weather, we should not forget this hot tip from OSHA as they have been promoting their heat standard for the past couple of years. Whether or not OSHA issues a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), we can expect OSHA to maintain a red-hot laser focus on the heat standard, especially for those in the industry of:

• Construction
  • Roofing
  • Masonry
  • Landscaping
  • Paving
• Agriculture
• Warehousing
• Restaurants

Being as a large percentage of heat illnesses occur in small businesses (10 or few employees), this standard could well apply to those businesses.

The key points you should be planning for:

• Protocols for drinking water
• Cool down areas (shade, fans, etc.)
• Breaks
• Acclimatization (worker fitness for the environment)
• Training
• Health monitoring
• Heat illness prevention plans
• Record keeping requirements

Click HERE to see how to keep your employees cool, and follow this LINK for more information regarding OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Heat Inspections.

For more information, check out Innovise’s Safety Insights regarding Heat Stress. As a reminder, OSHA has made this a focus item, their standards can be found at Heat – Standards | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

Contact your Innovise Risk Control team with questions regarding your programs.