Rising Temperatures Bring Increased Heat Stress to Lone Workers
Table of Contents
What is heat stress?
Causes of heat stress
Signs and symptoms
Lone worker heat stress
Prevent heat-related illness - technical guidelines for lone workers.
Consider a lone worker safety solution
5 ways to manage workplace stress
With record-breaking temperatures on the rise during the summer months, the risks of heat stress-related illness are going to increase in the workplace. This is very concerning and extremely dangerous for workers that are unaware of the symptoms and conditions when working in a high-risk environment. In this article, we will look at what heat stress is, what the symptoms are, and how to properly monitor and treat potential illnesses and injuries to prepare you for the hot summer months.
What is heat stress?
Heat stress is a serious condition that occurs when the body temperature heats up faster than it can cool itself down. Naturally, the body sweats to cool itself however, this isn’t always enough.
The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety states that “Most people feel comfortable when the air temperature is between 20°C and 27°C and when the relative humidity ranges from 35 to 60%. When air temperature or humidity is higher, people feel uncomfortable. Such situations do not cause harm as long as the body can adjust and cope with the additional heat. Very hot environments can overwhelm the body’s coping mechanisms leading to a variety of serious and possibly fatal conditions.”
When exposed to extreme heat, people become at risk for either heat exhaustion, heat rashes, or heat stroke. The effects of heat stress can vary from mild to life-threatening, which is why noticing symptoms and treating them early can be crucial to saving a life.
Causes of heat stress
Some major causes of heat stress include:
Air Temperature
Humidity
Dehydration
Poor health
Physical extension
Signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms of heat stress can vary depending on the severity of the condition. Here is a list of the different types of heat stress and their symptoms (arranged by the progression of severity)
Heat Cramps
Muscle cramps and spasms
Heat Exhaustion
Headache
Fatigue
Nausea
Dizziness
Fainting
Increased heart rate
Heat Stroke
Nausea & vomiting
no longer sweating
Confusion
Irregular pulse
Cardiac arrest
Lone worker heat stress
Heat stress is the all-encompassing category for the ailments mentioned above and is affecting lone workers across almost every industry. From agriculture to healthcare, more workers are wearing PPE in the heat, particularly in thermal stress.
Prevent heat-related illness - technical guidelines for lone workers.
Drink water every 15-20 minutes
Take frequent breaks in shade/air-conditioned room
Acclimatize to the environment
Exposure limits
Establish safety check-in procedure
According to Berg Insight; International Data Corporation, there are 53 million lone workers in North America and Europe alone – which is approximately 15% of the overall workforce! International Data Corp. also predicts that by 2020, 72% of the workforce will be mobile.
Many of those mobile users will be lone workers that will be working alone continuously, or at sporadic times throughout their workday in the heat nonetheless. Due to the high heat temperatures in the state of California, the state’s specifically has an OSHA health illness prevention program for all outdoor places of employment which requires all employees to work in isolation some examples include:
Employees are encouraged to take a preventative cool-down rest in the shade when temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius).
Ensuring that effective communication by voice, observation, or electronic means is maintained so that employees at the worksite can contact a supervisor when necessary. An electronic device, such as a cell phone or text messaging device, may be used for this purpose only if cell reception in the area is reliable.
(2) Observing employees for alertness and signs or symptoms of heat illness. The employer shall ensure effective employee observation/monitoring by implementing one or more of the following:
(A) The supervisor or designee observation of 20 or fewer employees, or
(B) A mandatory buddy system, or
(C) Regular communication with solo employees such as by radio or cellular phone, or
(D) Other effective means of observation.
(3) Designating one or more employees on each worksite as authorized to call for emergency medical services and allowing other employees to call for emergency services when no designated employee is available.
Consider a lone worker safety solution
Consider getting a complete safety network on all your devices by investing in an automated lone worker software safety solution. Workers check-in using their regular devices using a lone worker safety app and if they need help, monitors will be alerted. Many lone worker software’s have features that will provide peace of mind to lone workers and help mitigate the risks of heat stress.
5 ways to manage workplace stress
Did you know that there are simple things that workers can apply to make life less stressful in the workplace? Visit our blog article 5 Ways to Manage Workplace Stress.