If you have a hazmat certification, it’s necessary that you’ve gone through the required OSHA training to perform your job properly. When you’re working outside in the summer, it’s important you follow OSHA’s heat illness prevention standards.
Who is affected by heat illness?
During the summer, it’s especially important to monitor the health of workers outside. The blazing sun and humid conditions can be detrimental to a worker’s health without the proper protection and heat illness prevention. However, hot indoor environments can also damage an employee, such as those working in iron foundries and bakeries.
Additionally, heat illness can come on if an employee performs a high amount of physical exertion on the job. Jobs that require entering confined spaces or bulky equipment are at a higher risk than someone in an office job.
What are the dangers of heat illness?
Heat illness can take a variety of forms, but they’re each caused by a high level of heat in the body, usually accompanied by a lack of water. This can happen from a lack of breaks, poor ventilation, or even physical activity. The dangers of heat illness are as follows:
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat cramping
- Heat Stroke
- Heat rash
Just because one employee can tolerate high temperatures doesn’t mean another will. Those who haven’t built up a tolerance will likely need to be reintroduced to hot conditions slowly. Recognize signs of heat illness in your employees by monitoring for fainting, nausea, heavy sweating, thirst, and pain levels. Periodically check in on employees and ascertain that they know the signs of heat illness.
The employer’s responsibilities
It’s necessary for the employer to provide water breaks and a working ventilation system in indoor working environments. The employer should also have an emergency plan in case a worker suffers from one of the aforementioned illnesses associated with heat. Employers should also have a rotation of workers lined up to ease the effort on employees. In all cases, the employer should provide protective equipment and clothing necessary for the specific job. Get the necessary HAZWOPER training to ensure you take care of your employees properly.
How do I register for a course?
Luckily for you, the HAZMAT School offers heat illness prevention training, along with RCRA DOT training, HAZMAT certification, and requirements of handling hazardous waste, of which three billion tons are shipped annually. Consider visiting their site when you want to renew your certification.
Manages Hazmat School’s E-Learning courses and blog. Kirstie has extensive experience in the online training and education industry. Kirstie has worked with courses that offer a variety of safety and environmental certifications that satisfy OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements.
