HEAT STRESS

THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH:THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH:

Engineering ControlsEngineering Controls Administrative ControlsAdministrative Controls Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment TrainingTraining

TRAINING OVERVIEW• Heat Stress Defined

• Body’s Cooling System

• Cause, Symptoms, and First Aid

• Prevention/Controls

• Related Factors

• Assessment of Environmental Conditions

• Medical Surveillance

Heat Stress:Heat Stress:is the combination of is the combination of environmental environmental and and physical physical work factors that constitute the total heat load work factors that constitute the total heat load imposed on your body.imposed on your body.

Occupations at risk: Occupations at risk: laborers, military, farmers, laborers, military, farmers, cooks in hot kitchens, workers in boiler rooms and factories, cooks in hot kitchens, workers in boiler rooms and factories, seamen in engine rooms, athletes, lawn maintenanceseamen in engine rooms, athletes, lawn maintenanceworkers, a/c repairmen, etc. workers, a/c repairmen, etc.

BODY’S COOLING SYSTEMBODY’S COOLING SYSTEM

Blood is pumped close to skin for cooling, Blood is pumped close to skin for cooling, reduces blood going to the brain and rest of your bodyreduces blood going to the brain and rest of your body

As temperature rise, surface blood vessels get biggerAs temperature rise, surface blood vessels get biggerand pulse rate goes up.and pulse rate goes up.

As temperatures rise in air and surrounding equipment, As temperatures rise in air and surrounding equipment, through convection, conduction, and radiation your body through convection, conduction, and radiation your body gains heat instead of losing it. gains heat instead of losing it.

Evaporation of sweat is how your body cools itself.Evaporation of sweat is how your body cools itself.

But by sweating - you lose fluids and minerals. But by sweating - you lose fluids and minerals.

Most people lose about a quart of sweat/hr in extreme heat.Most people lose about a quart of sweat/hr in extreme heat. This adds a strain to your circulatory system which now This adds a strain to your circulatory system which now

has a lower amount of blood in your body.has a lower amount of blood in your body.

BODY’ COOLING SYSTEM - CONT.BODY’ COOLING SYSTEM - CONT.

Degree of Hazard - Minor to ModerateDegree of Hazard - Minor to Moderate

SUNBURNSUNBURN

CauseCause - Exposure of unprotected skin to UV light - Exposure of unprotected skin to UV light

SymptomsSymptoms - First degree burns: red, painful skin - First degree burns: red, painful skin Second degree: blistering and/or peelingSecond degree: blistering and/or peeling

First AidFirst Aid - Skin lotions, topical anesthetics, relocate to - Skin lotions, topical anesthetics, relocate to shade.shade.

Heat SyncopeHeat SyncopeDegree of Hazard - MinimalDegree of Hazard - Minimal

CauseCause - Pooling of blood in the legs/skin from prolonged - Pooling of blood in the legs/skin from prolonged static posture and heat exposurestatic posture and heat exposure

SymptomsSymptoms - Blurred vision (grey-out), fainting (brief - Blurred vision (grey-out), fainting (brief blackout), normal temperatureblackout), normal temperature

First AidFirst Aid - Lie on back in cool environment, drink water - Lie on back in cool environment, drink water

Heat RashHeat Rash (Prickly Heat)(Prickly Heat)

Degree of Hazard - MinimalDegree of Hazard - Minimal

CauseCause - Constant exposure to hot/humid air - Constant exposure to hot/humid air

SymptomsSymptoms - Pink pimples, intense itching, tingling - Pink pimples, intense itching, tingling

First AidFirst Aid - Cleanse area, dry thoroughly, apply calamine- Cleanse area, dry thoroughly, apply calamine or other soothing lotion to relieve discomfort,or other soothing lotion to relieve discomfort, could result in infection if left untreatedcould result in infection if left untreated

Degree of Hazard - MinorDegree of Hazard - Minor

Heat CrampsHeat Cramps

CauseCause - Prolonged exposure to heat, excessive loss - Prolonged exposure to heat, excessive loss of salt through profuse sweatingof salt through profuse sweating

SymptomsSymptoms - Painful intermittent spasms of the abdomen - Painful intermittent spasms of the abdomen and other voluntary muscles, body and other voluntary muscles, body temperature normal or below normal,temperature normal or below normal, may occur during or may occur during or afterafter working hours working hours

First AidFirst Aid - Rest & drink plenty of water/electrolyte drink - Rest & drink plenty of water/electrolyte drink

Degree of Hazard - ModerateDegree of Hazard - Moderate

DehydrationDehydration

CauseCause - Excessive fluid loss caused by sweating, illness - Excessive fluid loss caused by sweating, illness (vomiting or diarrhea), alcohol consumption (vomiting or diarrhea), alcohol consumption

SymptomsSymptoms - No early symptoms, fatigue, weakness, - No early symptoms, fatigue, weakness, dry mouthdry mouth

First AidFirst Aid - Fluid and salt replacement (with food) - Fluid and salt replacement (with food)

Degree of Hazard - ModerateDegree of Hazard - Moderate

Heat ExhaustionHeat Exhaustion

CauseCause - Physical exertion in hot environment, dehydration - Physical exertion in hot environment, dehydrationCompeting demands for blood flow to skin and active musclesCompeting demands for blood flow to skin and active muscles

SymptomsSymptoms - Profuse sweating, weakness, pallor, rapid - Profuse sweating, weakness, pallor, rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, headache, vomiting, rise in body pulse, dizziness, nausea, headache, vomiting, rise in body temperature, unconsciousness, skin cool/clammy with sweattemperature, unconsciousness, skin cool/clammy with sweat

First AidFirst Aid - Rest in shade/cool place & drink plenty of water. - Rest in shade/cool place & drink plenty of water.

Degree of Hazard - Degree of Hazard - SeriousSerious

Heat StrokeHeat Stroke

CauseCause - Prolonged exposure to high temperature - Prolonged exposure to high temperature results in failure to regulate body temperatureresults in failure to regulate body temperature

Symptoms Symptoms - Dryness of mouth, sweating is diminished or - Dryness of mouth, sweating is diminished or absent, skin hot and dry,skin may be red or splotchy, highabsent, skin hot and dry,skin may be red or splotchy, high body temperature, untreated may result in delirium, chills,body temperature, untreated may result in delirium, chills, convulsions, coma and even deathconvulsions, coma and even death

First AidFirst Aid - Douse body continuously with cool liquid. Don’t - Douse body continuously with cool liquid. Don’t give person anything to drink - they could inhale vomit into give person anything to drink - they could inhale vomit into lungs. Summon medical aid immediately!lungs. Summon medical aid immediately!

PreventionPrevention

AcclimatizationAcclimatization - Usually takes one to two weeks - Usually takes one to two weeks

ConditioningConditioning - Physically fit person has a lower heart - Physically fit person has a lower heart Lower body temperatureLower body temperature

More efficient sweating mechanismMore efficient sweating mechanism

HydrationHydration - Consume fluids before, during, and after job - Consume fluids before, during, and after job DoDo not not wait until your thirsty to drink water wait until your thirsty to drink water

Air MovementAir Movement - Under certain conditions - Under certain conditions

PreventionPreventionTrainingTraining - Self determination: Workers need to know - Self determination: Workers need to know how to recognize and prevent heat stresshow to recognize and prevent heat stress

Proper ClothingProper Clothing - Wear light color clothing, change wet - Wear light color clothing, change wet to dry clothing when possibleto dry clothing when possible

Eat ProperlyEat Properly - Eat light meals during work - Eat light meals during work

Save your heaviest meal for after workSave your heaviest meal for after work

Related Factors - Heat Related Factors - Heat StressStress

Age - over 40Age - over 40

Gender - aerobic capacityGender - aerobic capacity

Body Fat - insulative barrierBody Fat - insulative barrier

Drugs/Alcohol - dehydrate the bodyDrugs/Alcohol - dehydrate the body

Previous Occurrence of Heat Stroke - heat tolerance Previous Occurrence of Heat Stroke - heat tolerance

Illness/Immunization - affect heat toleranceIllness/Immunization - affect heat tolerance

Higher Frequency of Injury/Illness -Higher Frequency of Injury/Illness -

Direct Causes:Direct Causes: Fogged glasses Fogged glasses Sweat in eyesSweat in eyes Slippery handsSlippery hands Dizziness or faintingDizziness or fainting

Indirect Causes: Indirect Causes: Physical discomfortPhysical discomfort Irritability and angerIrritability and anger Poor judgementPoor judgement Diverting attention from jobDiverting attention from job

Slower mental/physical job reactionsSlower mental/physical job reactions

Assessment of EnvironmentalAssessment of Environmental ConditionsConditions

WBGTWBGT - - Combination temperature of dry air, relative Combination temperature of dry air, relative humidity and radiant heating.humidity and radiant heating.

Heat IndexHeat Index - - National Weather Service public alert National Weather Service public alert combination of heat and humiditycombination of heat and humidity

Assessment of EnvironmentalAssessment of Environmental ConditionsConditions

Personal MonitorPersonal Monitor - - Device monitors a worker Device monitors a worker Core temperature and pulse rateCore temperature and pulse rate

Medical SurveillanceMedical Surveillance

- - Evaluation of individual riskEvaluation of individual risk

- Preplacement/Periodic physicals- Preplacement/Periodic physicals - Physician’s written opinion with copy to the individual - Physician’s written opinion with copy to the individual and copy placed in medical recordsand copy placed in medical records