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Dealing with heat stress in the workplace
By Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B., Editor at HRinfodesk.com---Canadian
Payroll and Employment Law News,Updated June 2009 (posted September
2002)
Various health studies and other forms of research indicate that
heat stress is a set of conditions where the bodyis under stress
from overheating. Conditions include heat exhaustion, heat cramps,
heat stroke and heat rash
and symptoms include profuse sweating to dizziness, to cessation
of sweating and collapse. High temperatures,heavy workloads, and
the type of clothing worn can induce heat stress. Other heat stress
factors are alsosignificant. In addition to temperature, increased
relative humidity, decreased air movement or lack of shadingfrom
direct heat (radiant temperature) can all increase the potential of
heat stress.
Employees who experience heat stress may at first be confused or
unable to concentrate, followed by moresevere symptoms such as
fainting and/or collapse. Employers must ensure
supervisors/managers andemployees are aware and know how to deal
with heat stress when it occurs in the workplace. Heat stress maybe
a health and safety hazard found in the workplace, and employers
must insure they have identified it as apossible health and safety
issue and implemented measures to control this specific hazard.
If an employee does show heat stress symptoms, move them to a
cool, shaded area, give him or her water andimmediately contact the
supervisor and first aid attendant (if one is available) while
following procedures in thehealth and safety policy in respect to
heat stress and first aid.
Several Workers' Compensation Board or Occupational Health and
Safety divisions of the Ministry of Labourhave developed health and
safety guidelines to assist employers in preventing and dealing
with heat stress. The
guides will provide steps to identify and control heat stress,
including each type of heat stress, their cause,symptoms, treatment
and prevention. Links to these guidelines can be found below. Other
steps supervisors cantake to prevent heat stress are as
follows:
Have a policy in place dealing with working in hot weather
and/or hot environments
Establish a schedule for work and rest periods during hot days
and for work in hot environments
Allow time for employees to adjust to hot weather and/or job
environment when possible; it often takes up
to one week for an employee to become acclimated to a hot
environment
Adjust the work schedule, if and when possible
Assign heavier work on cooler days or during the cooler part of
the day
Reduce the workload, if and when possible
Increase the use of equipment on hot days to reduce physical
labour
Train supervisors/managers and employees to recognize signs and
symptoms of heat stress disorders
and be prepared to give first aid, if necessary
Select appropriate employees to work on hot days and/or in hot
environments. Some employees are
more likely to have heat disorders than others depending on
their health and/or physical makeup. Avoidplacing high risk
employees in hot work environments for extended time period (high
risk individualsare those that suffer from cancer, lung or kidney
disease, diabetics, those experiencing high bloodpressure or under
certain medication)
Understand that individual employees vary in their tolerance to
heat stress conditions
Have employees pace work, taking adequate rest periods (in shade
or cooler environment)
Use adequate fans or ventilation and cooling especially when
wearing personal protective equipment
(PPE)
Have employees wear appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE)
Have employees wear light coloured, loose (unless working around
equipment with moving parts)
clothing
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Keep employees, work area, and equipment shaded from direct heat
where possible (i.e., wear a hat in
direct sunshine)
Have employees drink plenty of water; provide water to your
employees; in hot environments the body
requires more water than it takes to satisfy thirst
Ensure procedures for first aid are in place and accessible to
all employees,
and include steps to deal with heat stress
Links to health and safety guidelines available on the Internet
by Jurisdictions (when available):
Best Practice -- Working Safely in the Heat and Cold, Alberta
(in PDF)
Worksafe BC -- Heat Stress Guide (in PDF)
Summer Heat or Thermal Conditions: Hot and Cold Conditions at
Work -- Saskatchewan Labour
Department
Risk Alert, Working outdoors, do you have everything under the
sun -- New Brunswick (in PDF)
The Hazard of Heat -- Newfoundland and Labrador (in PDF)
Heat Stress Hazard Alerts-- Nova Scotia Labour and Workforce
Development
Heat Stress (Health and Safety Guidelines) | Ontario Ministry of
Labour , and Preventing Heat Stress -- Ontario WSIB
Qubec CSST -- Prvention des coups de chaleur(in French only)
Sun Safety Prevention (in PDF) and Guide to Prevention of Heat
Stress at Work (in PDF) -- WCB
Prince Edward Island
Worker Discomfort in Increased Temperatures - Bulletin 133 (in
PDF) -- Manitoba Safe at Work
By Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B., Managing Editor at HRinfodesk.com
Published on HRinfodesk---Canadian Payroll and Employment Law
News and Developments
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