As summer temperatures begin to take hold, thousands of New York State construction and maintenance workers are at great risk of becoming sick due to heat exposure. Outdoor workers are often required to physically exert themselves in high temperatures – sometimes while handling heavy equipment and wearing thick protective clothing.
These conditions can cause the body’s temperature to rise to unsafe levels and cause the worker to become ill. Some heat-related illness are relatively mild, such as heat rash or heat cramps. But others, like heat stroke and heat exhaustion, can be very severe, causing injuries as grave as brain damage, coma and death.
Because heat illness affects so many workers and can have such calamitous consequences, in 2011 OSHA launched an now-annual nationwide campaign to educate employers and workers on the condition’s potential dangers Through the “Heat Illness Prevention Campaign,” workers and employers alike are taught how to reduce the risk of heat illness and recognize its symptoms before it goes too far.
New York construction workers and other outdoor workers frequently seek compensation for medical expenses relating to heat illness. We urge all outdoor workers to take note of the following symptoms of heat illness and take all possible steps to avoid getting heat sick this summer.
How to Avoid Heat Illness When Working Outdoors in Hot Weather
- Drink cool water every 15 minutes while working in the heat, even if you’re not thirsty
- Wear a hat and light-colored clothing
- Rest when fatigued and stay in the shade
- Look out for signs of heat illness in fellow workers
- Have an emergency plan for heat sick workers – e.g., have ice packs and cold water available; know where you are so you can direct 911 to you, if necessary.
The Signs and Symptoms of Four Common Types of Heat Illness
Heat Rash
Symptoms: Clusters of small, itchy red bumps, usually appearing on folds of skin, upper chest or neck.
What to do about it: Keep the affected area as dry as possible.
Heat Cramps
Symptoms: Pain or muscle spasms usually in the leg, abdomen or arms.
What to do about it: Rest in the shade, drinking cool water. If cramps do not go away, seek medical attention.
Heat Exhaustion
Symptoms: Headache, dizziness, heavy sweating, nausea or vomiting, fast heartbeat and thirst.
What to do about it: Rest in a cool, shaded area. Drink plenty of cool water and apply ice packs to body to bring down body temperature. Do not return to work that day, and call a doctor if symptoms don’t subside after 60 minutes.
Heat Stroke
Symptoms: Confusion, fainting, seizures, very high body temperature, and excessive sweating.
What to do about it: Call 911 immediately. In the meantime, make sure worker is lying down in a shaded area, apply ice packs to worker’s armpits to lower bodytemperature, provide worker with cool water. Stay with worker until help arrives.
How to Avoid Heat Illness When Working Outdoors in Hot Weather
- Drink cool water every 15 minutes while working in the heat, even if you’re not thirsty
- Wear a hat and light-colored clothing
- Rest when fatigued and stay in the shade
- Look out for signs of heat illness in fellow workers
- Have an emergency plan for heat sick workers – e.g., have ice packs and cold water available; know where you are so you can direct 911 to you, if necessary.
Photo: Some rights reserved by Kyle May