Safety Training Presentations

1. Safety Training Presentations Working in Hot Conditions

2. It’s Gonna Be a Hot One • Shimmering heat waves dance onthe pavement • Your clothing is soaked with sweat • You feel dizzy, light-headed, and sick to your stomach • You’re thirsty, but you forgot your water bottle at home • If you’re not careful, you could be a heat stroke victim

3. Body’s Cooling System • Blood circulates closer to the skin so heat is lost • Body sends sweat to the skin’s surface • Sweat evaporates off the skin, cooling the body

4. Heat Rash • Hot and humid environment—sweat not removed by evaporation • Red, bumpy rash that often itches • Uncomfortable, making sleep difficult • Treatment and prevention: • Rest in a cool place • Keep your skin dry and clean

5. Heat Syncope or Fainting • Worker not acclimated to the hot environment • Worker stands still in the heat • Blood pools in the legs, so less blood goes to the brain • Quick recovery after lying down in cool area • Prevent by moving around rather than standing still

6. Heat Cramps • Painful muscle cramps • Caused by the loss of your body’s salt when sweating • Treated/prevented by drinking electrolyte liquids • Severe cases require intravenous saline solutions

7. Heat Exhaustion • Loss of fluids and salt • Worker feels weak, dizzy, or nauseous • Skin clammy and moist, complexion pale or flushed • Treatment: rest in cool place, drink electrolyte solution • Severe cases: victims vomit or lose consciousness

8. Heat Stroke • Worker stops sweating • Symptoms include hot and dry skin • Confusion, convulsions, or loss of consciousness • Keep victim cool and provide fluids • Death without immediate medical attention

9. Heat Promotes Accidents • Decreased strength, increased fatigue • Reduced comprehension and ability to retain information • Safety procedures not followed • Sweaty palms, fogged safety glasses

10. The Heat Equation High Temperature +High Humidity + Physical Work = Heat Illness

11. Environmental Heat Stress Factors • Temperature • Humidity • Radiant heat • Air velocity

12. At Risk Occupations • Metal foundries, brick-firing plants, glass products facilities, manufacturers of rubber products, electrical utilities, bakeries, commercial kitchens, mining sites, steam tunnels, construction, laundries, food canneries, chemical plants, petro-chemical workers, fire fighters, and asbestos removal.

13. Our Sensitivity to Heat • Acclimatization • Age • Physical condition • Overall health • Metabolism • Use of alcohol or drugs

14. Medical Surveillance • Periodic medical evaluation • Determine risk of developing heat-related illness • High-risk employees removed from hot working environments

15. Engineering Controls • General ventilation • Spot cooling • Shielding from radiant heat sources • Substitute machinery for manual labor

16. Administrative Controls • Schedule heavy work for a cooler time of the year • Do some jobs in the evening or early morning • Enforce breaks with longer rest periods • Allow workers to become conditioned to the heat

17. Administrative Controls (cont.) • Reduce the physical demands of workers • Use relief workers • Limit the number of hours in the hot work environment • Pace the workers

18. PPE • Cool clothing • Shade-providing hats • Portable water products • Reflective clothing • Circulating air around the body

19. Water, Water, Water • Drink water • Drink electrolyte-balanced fluids • One cup every 15-20 minutes • Avoid caffeine and alcohol

20. Worker Monitoring Programs • Workers with a high risk of heat illness should be monitored • Check the heart rate at the beginning of a rest period • Check the pulse 2.5 minutes after the break starts • Oral temperature at end of work day • Body water loss

21. Investigate Heat-related Illness • Describe events leading up to the incident • Work being done at the time of the incident • Length of time employee was working before incident • Engineering and administrative controls • Appropriate PPE • Medical screening and monitoring by other employees

22. Summary • Heat-related illness can kill • Know the symptoms and first-aid response • Understand at-risk jobs • Reduce heat stress with engineering or administrative controls • Drink water, drink water, drink water

23. Quiz 1. Heat rash is caused by the sweat not evaporating from your skin. Name the best way to treat and prevent heat rash: ________________________________________ 2. The primary cause of heat cramps is the loss of your body’s salt when sweating. True or False 3. Drinking alcohol after a hard day of work in hot conditions will replenish the body’s fluids. True or False 4. __cup(s) of water should be consumed every __ minutes. 5. Besides temperature and humidity, name another environmental factor that contributes to heat stress__________________________________

24. Quiz (cont.) 6. Name one of the main symptoms of heat stroke: ______________________________________ 7. It usually takes a worker about 4-8 hours to acclimatize to hot working conditions. True or False 8. A worker suffering from heat exhaustion will feel_______ and their skin will be_______. 9. Name engineering controls used by your company:_______________________________ 10. Describe first aid for a heat stroke victim:______________________________________

25. Quiz Answers 1. Treat and prevent heat rash by keeping your skin cool and dry. 2. True. 3. False. Drinking alcohol will actually add to dehydration or the body’s loss of water. 4. One cup of water should be consumed every 15-20 minutes. 5. Radiant heat and air velocity are other environmental factors that contribute to heat stress.

26. Quiz Answers (cont.) 6.A victim of heat stroke stops sweating and has hot and dry skin. 7. False. A worker usually requires 5-7 days to acclimatize to hot work conditions. 8. Someone suffering from heat exhaustion will feel dizzy, weak, or nauseated, and the skin will be pale or flushed and feel moist and clammy. 9. Engineering controls might include: ventilation, spot cooling, shielding. 10. Immediately call for medical care (i.e., 911), move the victim to a cool or shaded area, remove heavy clothing, cool by fanning, wet clothes/skin, place ice in armpits and groin area.