HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

BACK TO BASIC (B2B) TRAINING

 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

Objectives

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 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT

WHAT IS HEAT STRESS?

 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS HEAT STRESS?

•Heat stress generally describes the effect

of heat, from any source, on the organs of
the body and the person as a whole.

• Environmental and occupational conditions

that induce employees to retain more heat
per unit time than they can reasonably shed.
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CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES

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CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF HEAT STRESS?

•Loss of bodily fluids through perspiration and failure to
replace them
•Loss of bodily electrolytes and failure to replace them
•Extreme air temperature
•Lack of air movement
•Direct heat from the sun and lack of shade
•Reflected, conducted and radiated heat from structures or
sand
•Prolonged and/or strenuous activities
•High humidity coupled with high temperatures
•Diet, excessive salt intake, medication
•Lack of physical fitness
•Lack of acclimatisation
•Caffeine consumption
•Excessive clothing.
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HEAT STRESS ILLNESSES

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HEAT RASH
Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot,
humid weather. It can occur at any age but is most common in young
children.

Cause:
Hot humid environment; plugged sweat glands

Symptoms:
Red bumpy rash with severe itching

Treatment:
Change into dry clothes and avoid hot environments. Rinse skin with cool
water.
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HEAT SYNCOPE (FAINTING)

Someone who experiences heat syncope (fainting) will experience the
sudden onset of dizziness or fainting after exposure to high temperatures,
particularly after exercising in the heat.
Cause:
Not enough blood flowing to the head, causing loss of consciousness.

Symptoms:
Sudden fainting after at least two hours of work; cool moist skin; weak pulse.

Treatment:
Fainting may be due to a heart attack or other illness. GET MEDICAL
ATTENTION. Assess need for CPR.
Move to a cool area; loosen clothing; make person lie down; and if the person
is conscious, offer sips of cool water.
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HEAT CRAMPS
A person who has been exercising or participating in other types of
strenuous activity in the heat may develop painful muscle spasms in the
arms, legs, or abdomen. The body temperature is usually normal, and the
skin will feel moist and cool, but sweaty.
Cause:
Heavy sweating drains a person's body of salt, which cannot be replaced
just by drinking water.

Symptoms:
Painful cramps in arms, legs or stomach which occur suddenly at work or later
at home. Cramps are serious because they can be a warning of other more
dangerous heat-induced illnesses.

Treatment:
Move to a cool area; loosen clothing and drink cool salted water ( 1 tsp. salt
per gallon of water) or commercial fluid replacement beverage. If the cramps
are severe or don't go away, seek medical aid.
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HEAT EXHAUSTION
Heat exhaustion is a warning that the body is getting too hot.
Those most prone to heat exhaustion include elderly people,
people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising
in a hot environment.
Cause:
Inadequate salt and water intake causes a person's body's cooling system
to start to break down.
Symptoms:
Heavy sweating; cool moist skin; body temperature over 38oC; weak
pulse; normal or low blood pressure; person is tired, weak, clumsy, upset
or confused; is very thirsty; or is panting or breathing rapidly, vision may
be blurred.
Treatment:
GET MEDICAL AID. This condition can lead to heat stroke, which can kill.
Move the person to a cool shaded areas; loosen or remove excess clothing;
provide cool water to drink (salted if possible); fan and spray with cool water.
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HEAT STROKE
Heat stroke is a serious, life-threatening condition that occurs when the
body loses its ability to control its temperature. Victims of heat stroke almost
always die, so immediate medical attention is essential when problems first
begin. In heat stroke, a person develops a fever that rapidly rises to
dangerous levels within minutes.
Cause:
If a person's body has used up all its water and salt, it will stop sweating.
This can cause body temperature to rise.
Symptoms:
High body temperature (over 41oC) and any one of the following: the person
is weak, confused, upset or acting strangely; has hot, dry, red skin; a fast
pulse; a headache or dizziness. In later stages, a person may pass out and
have convulsions.
Treatment:
CALL AMBULANCE. This condition can kill a person quickly. Remove excess
clothing; fan and spray the person with cool water; offer sips of cool water if
the person is conscious.
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PREVENTION AND CONTROL

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ENGINEERING CONTROL
•Control the heat at source through the use of
insulating and reflective barriers (insulate
furnace walls).
•Exhaust hot air and steam produced by
specific operations.
•Reduce the temperature and humidity through
air cooling.
•Provide air-conditioned rest areas.
•Increase air movement if temperature is less
than 35°C (fans).
•Reduce physical demands of work task
through mechanical assistance (hoists, lift-
tables, etc.).
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ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL
•Health and safety committees should assess the
demands of all jobs and have monitoring and
control strategies in place for hot days.
•Increase the frequency and length of rest breaks.
•Schedule hot jobs to cooler times of the day.
•Provide cool drinking water near workers and
remind them to drink a cup every 20 minutes or so.
•Workers should salt their food well, particularly
while they are acclimatizing to a hot job (workers
with a low salt diet should discuss this with their
doctor).
•Assign additional workers or slow down work pace.
•Make sure everyone is properly acclimatized. Train
workers to recognize the signs and symptoms of
heat stress and start a 'buddy system' since people
are not likely to notice their own symptoms.
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WATER, FOOD AND CLOTHING

•Drink water more than the normal

recommended 6 to 8 glasses a day
•Wear light colored clothing which
deflects heat
•Employees shall be advised to avoid
caffeine and other diuretic drinks
both the night before work and
during the day.
•Employees shall be advised to wear
only loose fitting clothing and to
avoid layering their clothes.
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TREATMENT
 HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
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