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 Resources: Welding, Cutting, and Brazing
All resources on Welding, Cutting, and Brazing
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News:
• Attorneys Claim Victory in Welder's Parkinson's Case
Related Topics:
Compressed Gases
Confined Spaces
Flammables and Combustibles
PPE - General
June 11, 2002
Hot News from OSHA: It's Time to Take Summer Precautions!
You’ve heard it before, but it bears retelling. Summer weather can be brutal on employees, and employers need to take precautions to ensure their health and comfort.

The combination of heat, humidity, and physical labor can be deadly. OSHA says that in 2000 21 workers died and another 2,554 experienced heat-related occupational injuries and illnesses serious enough to miss work. Unfamiliarity with warning signs may contribute to underreporting. The two most serious forms of heat-related illness are heat exhaustion (primarily from dehydration) and heat stroke, which can be fatal. Signs of either condition require immediate attention. These include dizziness, nausea, weakness, seizures, mood changes, and skin that is dry and pale or hot and red. OSHA notes that quick action can make the difference in preventing a fatality.

Supervisors and workers should be trained in recognizing and treating the signs of heat stress. Also, an employee’s physical condition should be considered when determining a worker’s fitness to labor in hot environments. Taking certain medications, lack of conditioning, obesity, pregnancy, and inadequate rest can increase susceptibility to heat stress.

Other employer tips include the following:
  • Arrange for employees to work in pairs.
  • Help workers adjust by assigning a lighter workload and longer rest periods for the first 5 to 7 days of intense heat.
  • Encourage workers to drink plenty of water–approximately one cup every 15 to 20 minutes even if they are not feeling thirsty. Caffeinated drinks should be avoided, as they can cause dehydration.
  • Monitor temperatures, humidity, and workers’ responses to heat at least hourly.
  • Alternate work and rest periods, with rest periods in a cooler area. Schedule heavy work for cooler times of day.
  • Use general ventilation and spot cooling at points of high heat.
  • Encourage workers to wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. If they become saturated, the clothes should be changed.