Transcript heat illness 2008

Heat Illness Prevention
Title 8 Section 3395
Cal/OSHA Consultation Service
2008
Heat Illness Prevention
“Safety Basics”

POTABLE DRINKING
WATER

SHADE ALLOWING THE
BODY TO COOL

PREVENTATIVE RECOVERY
PERIODS

EMPLOYEE/SUPERVISOR
TRAINING

WRITTEN PROCEDURES
Enforcement Experience
25 Serious Heat-Related Illnesses
May – November 2005

Agriculture 38%

Construction 29%

Service 12.5%

Transportation 12.5%

Public Safety 8%
What was discovered…

68% of employees spoke Spanish

Ages 17 to 76 yrs

84% of cases involved outdoor work

92% of work was moderate  strenuous

46% of cases happened the 1st day on the job

36% required hospitalization for more than 24hrs

54% of cases resulted in death of the employees
Environmental & Physiological
Factors
Average
Ambient air temperature 96º F (75 - 116º F)
Humidity 29% (12% - 55%)
Wind speed 7mph
Core body temperature 104º F (98 - 108º F)
Worksite Conditions

Potable water present - 100% of cases

Shade available - 77% of cases

80% of employers had a written IIPP

20% had written Heat Illness Prevention
Policy

36% had an Emergency Action Plan
Worksite Conditions

Heat Wave - a sudden and temporary
rise of temperature above the
seasonal average for a particular
region, which last for a prolonged
period of time

Greatly increases the risk of heat
illnesses
Heat Wave Impact
Temps/Day/Date/Cases
115
110
Mon
105
100
95
Sun
Tue
Sat
90
85
Da
16 te
-J
17 u l
-J
18 u l
-J
19 u l
-J
20 u l
-J
21 u l
-J
22 u l
-J
23 u l
-J
24 u l
-J
25 u l
-J
26 u l
-J
27 u l
-J
28 u l
-J
ul
80
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
# Reported
Temp Kern Co
Historical Temp
from UC IPM CIMIS
Note: Direct Relationship Between Temps and Number of Reported Cases
84% of the Cases Occurred During the July 2006 Heat Wave
Worksite Conditions
Heat Illness Prevention During Heat Waves

Take Extra Measures - More Vigilance




Supervisors/employees watch each other very
closely & provide more frequent feedback
Avoid working alone - “buddy system”
Designate person - closely monitor/report
employees conditions
Account for employee whereabouts throughout
the work shift and end of the day
Worksite Conditions
Heat Illness Prevention During Heat Waves

Take Extra Measures - More Water



Employees should drink small quantities of water
more frequently before, during and after work
Effective replenishment of extra supplies of
water
Encourage employees to consult with their
doctor on salt/mineral replacement
Worksite Conditions
Heat Illness Prevention During Heat Waves

Take Extra Measures - More Cooling



Use other cooling measures in addition to shade
Spraying body with water/wiping with wet
towels
Additional/longer breaks in the shade
Worksite Conditions
Heat Illness Prevention During Heat Waves

Take Extra Measures - Change Schedule



Start work earlier or later in the evening
Split-up work shifts - avoid working in hotter
parts of the day
Cut work shifts short or stop work
Worksite Conditions
Heat Illness Prevention During Heat Waves
 Take Extra Measures - Change Meals
 Encourage employees to:
Eat smaller/more frequent meals ( less body
heat during digestion than with big meals)
Choose foods with higher water content (for
example, fruits, vegetables, salads)
Worksite Conditions
Heat Illness Prevention During Heat Waves

Acclimatization Warning

Even employees previously fully
acclimatized are at risk for heat illness
Body needs time to adjust to sudden,
abnormally high temperatures or other
extreme conditions
Heat Illness Prevention
3395(a) Scope and Application
Applies to the control of
risk of occurrence of heat
illness in all outdoor
places of employment
Does not exclude other
Title 8 requirements,
such as, IIPP, drinking
water, first aid
3395(b) Definitions
“ Heat Illness" means a serious
medical condition resulting from the
body's inability to cope with a
particular heat load, and includes
heat cramps, heat exhaustion,
heat syncope and heat stroke.
"Environmental risk factors for heat illness"
means working conditions that create the possibility that heat
illness could occur, including air temperature, relative humidity,
radiant heat from the sun and other sources, conductive heat
sources such as the ground, air movement, workload severity
and duration, protective clothing and personal protective
equipment worn by employees.
3395(b) Definitions
“Personal risk factors for
heat illness” means factors such
as an individual’s age, degree of
acclimatization, health, water
consumption, alcohol consumption,
caffeine consumption, and use of
prescription medications that
affect the body’s water retention or
other physiological responses to
heat.
“Acclimatization”
A temporary adaptation of the body to work in the heat that
occurs gradually when a person is exposed to it. Acclimatization
peaks in most people within 4 - 14 days of regular work for at
least 2 hours per day in the heat.
3395(b) Definitions
"Shade" means blockage of direct sunlight. Canopies,
umbrellas and other temporary structures or devices may be
used to provide shade. One indicator that blockage is sufficient is
when objects do not cast a shadow in the area of blocked
sunlight. Shade is not adequate when heat in the area of shade
defeats the purpose of shade, which is to allow the body to cool.
For example, a car sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable
shade to a person inside it, unless the car is running with air
conditioning.
"Preventative
Recovery Period“
means a period of time to
recover from the heat in
order to prevent heat
illness.
3395(c) Provision of Water

Sufficient amounts of
cool water available at
all times w/at least one
quart per employee per
hour for the entire shift

Easy access to clean and
cool water encourages
frequent drinking

Keep the water
replenished
3395(d) Access to shade

Preventative Recovery Period
(PRP) is necessary if an employee is
suffering from heat illness or believes
that a rest break is needed to recover
from the heat

Employees must have access to an
area with shade that is either open to
the air or provided with ventilation or
cooling for a period of no less than 5
minutes
3395(d) Access to shade

Access to shade is permitted at all times

Non agricultural employers are
permitted cooling measures other than
shade if alternate means are proven as
effective as shade in cooling the body
3395(e) Training
Recognition
of Environmental & Personal Risk Factors
Procedures
for Complying with the Regulations
Importance
of Frequent Consumption of Water
Importance
of Acclimatization to Working Conditions
Recognition
of Signs/Symptoms of Heat Illnesses
Importance
of Reporting Signs/Symptoms to Supervisor
Procedures
to Follow When Heat Illness is Reported
Procedures
to Contact Medical Services
Means
& Methods Available to Transport Ill Workers
Procedure to Ensure Clear/Concise Directions are Given
to Emergency Medical Responders to Locate the Worksite
Employee Training

The environmental and
personal risk factors for heat
illness

Importance of frequent
consumptions of small
quantities of water

Importance of
acclimatization

Different types of heat
illness, common signs and
symptoms
Employee Training

Importance of immediately
reporting signs/symptoms
of heat illness to
supervisor

Procedures for responding
to possible heat illness

Procedures for contacting
and directing emergency
medical services to the
worksite
Section 3395(e)(1)
Employee Training


Procedures to follow when contacting
emergency medical services and if necessary
transporting employees
Employers procedures
that ensure clear and
precise directions to the
work site will be
provided to emergency
medical service
providers.
3395(e)(2) Supervisor Training

Same information required under
employee training PLUS

Procedures to follow to implement the
applicable provisions of the standard

Procedures to follow when an
employee exhibits symptoms
consistent with heat illness, including
emergency response
Impact of Supervisor Training on the
Outcome of Heat Illness
Percent
Supervisor Training Conducted in Cases with Heat
Related Fatality?
100
50
0
2006 Data
37%
Trained
63%
Not Trained
For Non-Fatal Heat Illnesses, Supervisor
Trained on Heat Illness Prevention: Yes (67%) and No (33%)
Employer’s Written Procedures

Written policy addresses controlling the
risks of heat illness and includes all the
elements in Section 3395

Policy and procedures can be integrated
within the IIPP

Training provided to all employees to
recognize heat illness hazards before
starting to work outdoors

Procedures must be made available to
representatives of Cal/OSHA upon request
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
Internet Resources – Cal/OSHA & NIOSH
http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/HeatIllnessInfo.html
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/