Heat Stress
Heat attack
Doing too much on a hot day, spending too much time in
the sun or staying too long in an overheated place can cause
heat-related illnesses.
Hot temperatures and high humidity stress the body’s ability
to cool itself, resulting in heat sickness. It is important to
recognise the symptoms at an early stage to guard yourself
from serious consequences.
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Know the difference
It is important to note the difference between various heat illnesses.
• Dehydration-is the loss of fluids from the body. The human body
needs water for vital organs such as the brain, kidney and heart to
function properly.
• Heat rash- is a skin irritation caused by excessive perspiration.
• Heat cramps- are severe and painful cramping of the muscles due
to imbalances in body fluids and excessive perspiration.
• Heat syncope or fainting- dizziness that can result in fainting when
standing continuously under the hot sun for a long time.
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⚫ Heat exhaustion- results when losing body fluids through
perspiration during heat exposure.
The body cools off by evaporation of sweat but gets exhausted
when the sweat exceeds the volume of water or fluid drunk.
⚫ Sun burn- is a painful skin condition which occurs as a
result of overexposure to the ultra-violent rays of the
sun. This can damage the outer layers and inner tissues
of the skin. It can also lead to skin cancer.
⚫ Heatstroke or sunstroke-is a deadly heat illnesses. It
occurs when the body’s control temperature system
stops functioning. The body temperature rises rapidly,
the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to
cool down. This can lead to death, brain damage or
permanent disability if emergency treatment is not
provided.
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How to recognise, treat and avoid heat illnesses?
Type Symptoms Treatment
1. Flushed face.
2. Extreme thirst, more than
normal or unable to drink.
3. Dry, warm skin. For mild to
4. Dizziness made worse when you moderate
are standing. dehydration
Dehydration 5. Weakness. drink more
6. Cramping in the arms and legs. water and try
7. Headaches. to avoid the
8. Dry mouth, dry tongue. heat until
9. Low blood pressure. refreshed.
10. Rapid and deep breathing -
faster than normal.
11. Fainting.
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Type Symptoms Treatment
1. Redness accompanied with The best treatment is
swelling and inflammation to provide a cooler and
of skin. less humid environment.
Heat Rash 2. Small blisters.
Clean the affected area
Both symptoms commonly
occur on the back of the neck. and apply mild lotions
to it.
Stop all activities and
1. Muscle pain in the do not return to
strenuous activities until
abdomen, arms or legs may
the cramps subside as
occur in association with further exertion may
Heat Cramps strenuous activity. lead to exhaustion or
2. Rapid heartbeat. heat stroke This usually
3. Hot sweaty skin. improves with drinking
water and resting in a
6 cool environment.
Type Symptoms Treatment
1. Faintness. Lie or sit down, preferably in
2. Dizziness. the shade or in a cool
3. Headaches.
environment.
4. Increased pulse rate.
Heat Syncope
5. Restlessness.
Or Fainting 6. Nausea.
Try to take frequent breaks if
working under high
7. Vomiting.
temperatures and drink a lot
8. Possibly even a brief
loss of consciousness. of water.
1. Headaches.
2. Paleness. Shift to a cooler location and
3. Heavy sweating.
drink a lot of water or a light
4. Intense thirst.
juice.
Heat exhaustion 5. Dizziness.
6. Fatigue.
Use cold towels over your
7. Nausea.
8. Impaired judgment. head and neck.
7 9. Loss of appetite.
Type Symptoms Treatment
• Apply cold towels on the
areas affected or take a cold
shower.
1. Skin becomes red & • Apply moisture lotions and
painful. not ointments.
2. Burning sensation and • Do not break blisters and try
Sunburn swelling. to avoid repeated sun
exposure.
3. Blisters.
• Use sunscreen to avoid a
sunburn.
Seek medical attention for
severe cases
1. High body
temperature. • Get to a shady cool area.
2. Red hot and dry skin. • Sponge or shower with cold
3. Throbbing headaches. water.
Heatstroke /
4. Nausea. • Get
a cold towel and rapid it
Sunstroke 5. Unconsciousness. around the body.
6. Rapid and shallow • Call
the hospital for medical
breathing. treatment.
8 7. Fatigue.
Temperature & Humidity Combined
Below is a diagram indicating the temperature and humidity level that you
need to be careful of.
Relative Temperature
Humidity
100°F/ 37.8°C
70 %
Dangerous
60 % 95°F/ 35°C
Caution
90°F/ 32.2°C
50 %
85°F/ 29.4°C
40 %
80°F/ 26.7°C
30 %
Less
Hazardous
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Engineering Controls
1. General Ventilation-
General ventilation can dilute hot air with cooler air (generally
brought in from the outside). This technique clearly works better in
cooler climates than in hot ones. Large areas or entire buildings
identified as high heat areas may require a permanently installed
ventilation system to reduce temperature levels. In smaller areas,
portable or local exhaust systems may be more effective or practical.
2. Local Ventilation-
Reduce heat stress by increasing the airflow and velocity with fans
and other movers in the work area (as long as the air temperature is
less than the person's skin temperature). If the air temperature is
higher than about 100 to 104F, skin warming may offset any
advantage gained by evaporative cooling. Because this method does
not cool the air, the increased air flow must contact the worker
directly to be effective. This control will have little, if any, positive
effect on workers wearing vapor-barrier clothing.
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3. Air Treatment / Air Cooling-
This control measure differs from ventilation because it cools the air by
removing heat (and sometimes humidity). Air conditioning and air
treatment devices may be expensive to install and operate. Nonetheless,
mechanical refrigeration can be effective in specific areas such as "cool
rooms" (used as recovery areas near hot jobs). Portable blowers with a
built-in air chiller are effective for cooling asbestos abatement (and similar)
enclosures. The main advantages of blowers are portability and minimal
set-up time.
4. Radiant Heat Reduction-
Reflective heat shields and insulation will reduce radiant heat. With
sources of radiation such as heating pipes, it is possible to use both
insulation and surface modifications to achieve a substantial reduction in
radiant heat. If shields are used, it is important to minimize their influence
on the cooling effects of air flow.
5. Shade-
Shade will reduce radiant solar heat and is a widely recognized control
measure. Shading the work area, rest areas, or equipment or enclosures can
significantly decrease the heat load.
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Administrative and Work Practice Control
1. Scheduling-
If possible, perform potentially hot jobs when heat stress conditions are at
their minimum. Allow latent heat in equipment to dissipate before work
begins. Schedule work for the cooler part of the day, and schedule routine
maintenance and repair work in hot areas for the cooler seasons of the year.
2. Fluid Replacement-
Place ample supplies of liquids close to the work area. Preferred drinks are
low-sodium, non-carbonated, non-alcoholic, and non-caffeinated. They
should be provided at 50- 60F. Because the normal thirst mechanism does
not ensure sufficient fluid intake, encourage workers to drink small amounts
on a frequent basis, e.g., one 4-ounce to 6-ounce cup every 20 minutes. The
taste of commercially available balanced electrolyte replacement drinks may
also encourage fluid intake. (These products are perfectly acceptable when
diluted 50% in water.) Although some commercial electrolyte replacement
drinks contain salt, this is not necessary for acclimated individuals who
generally add enough salt in their diets.
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3. Acclimation-
Most people get used to heat exposure up to a point. This is called
acclimation and it results in less cardiovascular demand for a given
activity. The worker will sweat more efficiently (increasing evaporative
cooling) and may lose less salt, thus will more easily maintain normal
body temperature. Acclimation decreases the risk of heat-related
illnesses and associated unsafe acts.
Deliberate acclimation involves exposing employees to work in a hot
environment for progressively longer periods. For workers with recent
experience (within two weeks) in jobs where heat levels may produce
heat stress, NEBOSH recommends the following regimen: 50% of
normal exposure on day one, 60% on day two, 80% on day three, and
100% percent on day four. For new workers who will be similarly
exposed, the regimen should be 20% on day one, with a 20% increase in
exposure each additional day.
4. Work/Rest Cycles-
Prescribed periods of work and rest are based on specific heat indices and
workload estimates (e.g., ACGIH-TLVs). These prescribed levels are
based on the assumption that the work is repetitive, controlled, and
13 continuous over an eight-hour shift, and that the rest area is in an
environment similar to that in which the exposure occurs.
5. Recovery Times-
Recovery may be required for any heat stress exposure. Recovery is
complete when the person's physiological state has returned to its pre-
exposure condition. This means that excess (stored) body heat has been
dissipated, lost fluid has been replaced, and electrolytes are in balance.
To permit dissipation of stored body heat, the recommended recovery
area should be subjectively cool.
6. Buddy System-
Working in pairs or small teams allows appropriately trained workers to
observe each other for signs of heat-related disorders. Employees may
also share work activities to reduce metabolic heat production.
7. Personal Monitoring-
An individual's physiological response to heat stress can be monitored
with a variety of instruments available on the market. The instruments
measure skin or ear canal temperature as a surrogate for core body
temperature. Some instruments also measure heart and respiration rates.
Unfortunately, there is limited consensus in the scientific community on
how to interpret the results.
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Most individuals can be trained to monitor their own heart rate. Healthy,
acclimated workers should avoid prolonged work/environment
combinations that cause their heart rate to exceed the recommended
maximum heart rate, MHR when taken during the first minute of rest. The
heart rate should drop to 110-120 beats per minute following the first
minute of rest.
8. Check Times-
A prescribed check time (CT) schedule can augment self-determination.
Check times are intervals at which a heat stress-trained supervisor or
observer (including a co-worker or "buddy") must seek explicit
confirmation from individual heat stress-trained workers that each can
continue work. That is, the observer determines if there are obvious
symptoms of heat disorders, or if there is any sense of diminished capacity.
If so, the exposure is terminated and rest is required. Using CTs requires
each worker, at regular intervals, to explicitly assess his/her physiological
state and ability to continue work, rather than waiting for symptoms to
appear.
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9. Self-Determination-
Appropriately trained workers can help monitor their own heat
condition. Training should emphasize that heat stress can affect an
individual's ability to reason clearly. This may cause them to fail to
recognize signs and symptoms of heat stress. For this reason, self-
determination must be augmented by the heat awareness program,
worker training program, and check time and buddy system controls
described in these guidelines.
10. Other Administrative Controls-
Reduce the physical demands of work (such as excessive lifting or
digging) by using powered equipment, increase the number of workers
assigned to a task, use relief workers, and limit worker occupancy in
confined areas.
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Heat Awareness Condition
1. A "Heat Awareness Condition" is declared when the potential for heat
stress is significant.
2. The "Condition" is based on the daily weather forecast of the National
Weather Service (NWS) or other competent forecast. (Use the table
below to compute NWS values.) If extremely hot weather is predicted for
the next day or days, a "Heat Awareness Condition" is declared to ensure
that all aspects of this procedure are in place, and that personnel
awareness is heightened. Extremely hot weather is defined here as any of
the following:
▪ Ambient temperature in excess of 95 F (=35 C)
▪ NWS apparent temperature (AT), or heat index (HI) in excess of 90 F (=32 C)
▪ A "Heat Awareness Condition" may exist at many project sites throughout the
summer. During a "Heat Awareness Condition", the hazards and controls of
heat are continuously emphasized with each employee and supervisor during
TSTI. Workers should be instructed to interrupt heat exposure before they feel
excessive discomfort or symptoms of any heat-related disorder.
▪ The "Heat Awareness Condition" is based on publicly available values that
makes the program understandable to most employees. It also makes the
program more practical at projects with limited access to WBGT monitoring
equipment. Some projects advertise a "Heat Awareness Condition" by posting
the predicted heat index at the front gate on a sign in the shape of a
17 thermometer.
General Precautions
Hydrations
The best way to avoid heat strokes and other heat disorders is to keep your body well hydrated. Drink
a lot of water if you are exercising or working in hot conditions. Doctors usually recommend
consuming eight or more glasses of water per day.
Ventilation
Remain in cool areas where your body can cool itself. If working in hot conditions, try to take a
break to regain energy and to avoid overexposure to the sun’s rays.
Clothing
What you wear plays a big factor in how your body will handle the heat. Light clothing and loose
fitting clothing will help your body in breathing and cooling itself naturally. It is fine to wear a hat or
cap to shield yourself from the sun but once you feel warm, remove it. This usually traps the heat
inside your body.
Limit yourself
It is also important to watch the amount of activities you are participating in during hot days. Don’t
overdo it. Heat stroke and other disorders can take affect in less than an hour. If you feel yourself get
warm and suffocated with the heat, it’s best to take time out and rest in a shady area.
Desert conditions
In desert environments one may not be aware that they are perspiring due to rapid evaporation.
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Warning!
⚫ You need to learn to drink, even when you are not thirsty.
⚫ By the time you feel thirsty you are already 10% dehydrated
⚫ Urine Colour gives indication of hydration state ie,
(if urine is dark drink more)
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HYDRA CHECK -
The color of Urine tells you how dehydrated you are!
Extremely Dehydrated
Drink Water Immediately
Mildly Dehydrated
Drink More Water
Safe Zone Not Dehydrated
Are you dehydrated?
Keep on drinking water.
NOTE: This is a general guide only and in no way replaces medical advice. Not applicable for person taking
20 medicine and supplemental vitamins. DW-HSE-TM035
Prevention
Remember!
Start drinking water (before you start
work),
Drink water (As much as you need),
Check your Urine color (note the urine
color),
Ensure adequate ventilation,
Rotate work (from hot to cool areas),
Report to your Supervisor or the Nurse
at first sign of any problem,
Keep an eye on your work mates
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Prevention is better than cure !
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