How To Implement a Heat Illness Prevention Program

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Cal/OSHA Consultation Service
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During this session you will learn

• 1.) How to access free resources to help you
  develop
• effective Heat Illness Prevention
  Procedures.
• 2.) Critical preventive measures learned from
• previous cases of heat related illness.
• 3.) How to design and implement Heat Illness
• Prevention Procedures specific to your
  needs.

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Resources

• Cal/OSHA Consultation Service
• Cal/OSHA Website
• www.cal-osha.ca.gov
• Workers Compensation Loss Control
• Associations/Exchanges

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http//www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh1.html
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http//www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/HeatIllnessInfo.html
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http//www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/HeatIllnessInfo.html
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http//www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/08-006/index.htm

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http//www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/08-006/index.htm

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http//www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/08-006/Preventin
gAndResponding.htmsmarttips
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http//www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/dosh_publications/ESPfo
rHeatIP3-10-19-07.pdf
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Previous Case Information

• Cases included
• Information collected during 2005 and 2006
• Deaths due to heat illness
• Accidents with a non-fatal heat illness
• Complaints which revealed a heat illness
• Data was obtained from interviews by field
  inspectors involved in these cases, review of the
  heat illness evaluation questionnaires and
  associated medical records.

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Written Procedures

• Weather Monitoring and
• Acclimatization
• Water Provisions
• Shade Provisions
• Employee/Supervisor Training
• Responding to Heat Illness Symptoms
• Contacting Emergency Medical Services
• Providing Clear and Precise Directions

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Important !!!!!!

• Who is responsible for
• assessing risk by planning ahead and weather
  monitoring ?
• water and shade provisions ?
• training employees supervisors ?
• accounting for employees during the workday ?
• responding to employees with symptoms ?
• executing the emergency action plan ?

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Workload/Work Intensity Data
2006
Percent of cases
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Heat Wave Data
Direct Relationship Between Temp and Number of
Reported Cases 84 of the Cases Occurred During
the July 2006 Heat Wave
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Acclimatization Data
2005
2006
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Sample General Heat Illness Prevention Procedures

• Utilizing our checklist the supervisor at each
  site will be responsible for assessing the
  following on a day to day (plan ahead!) basis
• Weather Conditions
• Workload/Work Intensity
• Clothing Requirements
• All Unacclimatized Employees
• All Untrained Employees
• First Heat of the Year or any Heat Wave During
  the Year
• Providing Adequate Water and Shade
• Emergency Procedures Specific to Location

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Sample General Heat Illness Prevention Procedures

• The following special consideration will be given
  to unacclimatized workers
• Check the weather, plan a schedule
• Jobs with less work intensity
• Shorter shifts
• Buddy system, utilizing an experienced worker who
  sets a good example as it relates to heat illness
  prevention
• Extra vigilance from supervision at the site

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Sample General Heat Illness Prevention Procedures

• The following measures will be considered
  anticipating the first heat of the year and
  anticipating a heat wave at any time
• Remind employees to drink water in the evening
  and before coming to work
• Changing work schedules
• Additional water and rest breaks
• Additional cooling measures
• Extra vigilance keeping track of employees

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Water Provisions Data
Drinking Water Was Present at the Site 90 of the
time
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Sample Water Procedures

• We begin the day with at least two quarts of
  water per employee.
• Water containers are monitored every 30 minutes
  and replenished when levels drop below 50 or
  when the water is no longer cool.
• Water containers will be placed as close as
  feasible to the workers.

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Sample Water Procedures

• Water containers will be maintained in a sanitary
  condition.
• Before and during the shift, supervisors will
  provide frequent reminders to drink water.more
  frequently during heat waves and the first heat
  of the year.

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Sample Water Procedures

• We mandate water breaks and use an audible device
  such as whistles or air horns to remind employees
  to drink water.
• Disposable single use cups will be provided.

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Shade Provision Data
2005 Data
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Sample Shade Procedures

• Supervisor will set-up an adequate number of
  large umbrellas, canopies or other portable shade
  structures, at the start of the shift and will
  relocate them as workers move. Shade structures
  will be placed as close as feasible to the work
  activity.
• Employees will have access to cooled office or
  other indoor space with air conditioning, if
  available.

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Sample Shade Procedures

• When risk is determined to be greater, i.e.
  during a heat wave, additional shade will be
  provided anticipating a greater number of
  employees may need to use it at the same time.
• Every morning there will be a short tailgate
  meeting (in the employees language) to remind
  workers about the importance of rest breaks and
  the location of shade.

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Sample Shade Procedures

• Areas will be provided for employees to take
  their breaks which are
• Readily accessible
• In the shade and open to the air, and ventilated
  or cooled
• Near sufficient supplies of
• cool drinking water

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Employee Training Data
95
77
64
36
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2005 Data
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IIPP
Heat Illness
Acclimatization
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Employee Training Procedures

• All employees will receive heat illness
  prevention training prior to working outdoors
  (dont forget new hires throughout the year).
• Employee training will cover all topics described
  in CCR, Title 8, 3395, Section 3395(e)(1).

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Employee Training Procedures

• All new workers will be assigned a buddy or
  experienced coworker to ensure that they
  understood the training and follow the company
  procedures.
• On hot days, and during a heat wave, supervisors
  will hold short tailgate meetings to review this
  important information with all workers.

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Supervisor Training Data
For Non-Fatal Heat Illnesses, Supervisor Trained
on Heat Illness Prevention Yes (67) and No (33)
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Supervisor Training Procedures

• Supervisors will be trained prior to being
  assigned to supervise outdoor workers.
• Supervisors will quiz employees to ensure the
  employees understood the training.
• Primary (Farm Labor Contractors, staffing
  companies, etc) and secondary employers will
  ensure that all employees (including temporary)
  working outdoors are trained in heat illness
  prevention.

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Some Thoughts about Training

• Managers/Owners should quiz supervisors to ensure
  they are well versed in company policies.
• When training
• ask questions rather than just giving out
  information.
• ask about personal experiences.
• describe actual cases to make it real.
• dont ever make fun of anyone.
• follow-up to make sure the employees understood
  the information.

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Emergency Response Procedures
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Procedures for Responding to Heat Illness Symptoms

• Supervisors will continuously check all
  employees, and stay alert to the presence of heat
  related symptoms.
• Co-workers will use a buddy system to watch
  each other closely for symptoms of heat illness.
• Supervisors and co-workers are encouraged never
  to discount any signs or symptoms they experience
  or observe, and will immediately report them.

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Procedures for Contacting Emergency Medical
Services

• Supervisors will carry cell phones, radios or
  other means of communication, to ensure that
  emergency services can be called, and check that
  these are functional at the worksite prior to
  each shift.
• Say specifically what your company uses and
  what steps will be taken in an emergency

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Procedures for Providing Clear and Precise
Directions

• The address/location(s) and directions will be
  established for the workday prior to work
  starting.
• Every morning, workers will be reminded about
  address/location(s) and directions to the
  worksite and emergency procedures.

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HIP Resources

• Go to http//www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/HeatIllnessInfo.h
  tml for HIP Resources