Heat Stress

Heat Stress

Safety Consulting By HSE-RM Solution (www.hse-rm.com)

Qualitative assessment of heat perception and impacts

Qualitative assessment of heat perception and impact by HSE-RM Solution advisors, a tailored program with practical solutions, analysed collective data given a unique insight, a 2-day onsite assessment, and 1-day practical implementation consciousness/training, could mould overall understanding of changed work environment and impacts.

Practical approach questionnaire

1.        General information (awareness on heat stress element understanding)

2.       Type of work (knowledge of work, activities & type)

3.        Workers’ exposure to heat (provision & safety plan review)

4.       Health impacts (impact assessment & record verification, with provisions)

5.       Productivity impacts (measure of work activities, productivity graph & personal involvement)

6.       Impacts of clothing (PPE matrix, use, selection)

7.       Process mechanisms (impact time, controls, and provisions assessment)

HSE-RM Solution advisors, walk-through qualitative assessment of heat perception & impact program is personally tailored. Safety perception of the different workplace to identify sampling locations for heat monitoring and to make observations about the workplace ventilation and existing cooling provisions. Qualitative data collected on different days when work is in progress.

Based on Indian condition and mercury rising to 35-40 and 40+ degree, international guidelines state, under the controlled cycle of operations, work limitation, corrective & preventive action to be imparted. All such words on practical implementation, however, these programs ignore the most appropriate methods for eliminating health and safety hazards. Safety is often the starting point for positive change initiatives within organizations. Planning and managing change is a strategic advantage if successfully executed. If not, however, a downward spiral of negative expectations can eventually paralyze any willingness to confront change. Therefore, in addition to being an important area for positive change, a safety initiative's success or failure may foreshadow the success or failure of future change efforts.

The practical solution to adaptive climate change:

Health and productivity impacts of occupational heat stress have significant consequences for the large workforce of India. Heat-rashes, dehydration, heat syncope and urinogenital symptoms are self-reported health issues. Assessed reasons for productivity losses were: extended work hours due to fatigue/exhaustion, sickness/hospitalization and wages lost. Reducing workplace heat stress will benefit industries and workers via improving worker health and productivity. Adaptation and mitigation measures to tackle heat stress are imperative to protect the present and future workforce as climate change progresses. During hotter and cooler seasons, wet bulb globe temperatures (WBGT) are used to quantify the risk of heat stress, according to international workplace guidelines. Questionnaires assessed workers’ perceived health and productivity impacts from heat stress.

Practical, adaptive solution is to revisit & reinforcing safety plan on a regular basis, especially when new risks are identified or working conditions change. These changes may include not only the introduction of new equipment or processes but also changes in the weather. Many businesses, warmer months mean a potential increase in heat-related workplace injuries or illnesses. In addition to the work whose positions are primarily outdoors, such as construction, project engineers, landscapers, it is important to remember that people who primarily work indoor service, repair shop workers, are also at risk when the mercury rises. Heat exposure — whether from the sun or from process machinery — can be a contributing factor to employee injuries or illnesses across a range of industries.

Even brief exposure to heat can cause a serious burn or sunstroke, but prolonged exposure to high temperatures makes it difficult for the human body to cool down, which can lead to dangerous and even life-threatening conditions. At the very least, high temperatures can cause potential hazards such as sweaty, slippery hands, fogged-up safety equipment and distractions due to physical discomfort.

Facts to be known don’t confuse

A fellow employee who is exposed to extreme temperatures can experience any of the following heat-related illnesses:

Heat cramps

Caused result from loss of a large amount of salt and water through exercise. Heat cramps are associated with cramping in the abdomen, arms, and calves. This can be caused by inadequate consumption of fluids or electrolytes. Heavy sweating, fatigue & thirst, are the mildest form of heat-related illness.  Prompt treatment, including consumption of electrolyte-containing beverages and moving to a cool area, can usually help keep heat cramps from progressing to heat exhaustion.

Practical steps:

·         Stop activity.

·         Rest in a cool environment.

·         Drink plenty of fluids. (prefer electrolyte mix rather than only water)

·         Perform gentle stretches to the affected muscle group.

·         Monitor the cramp. (record and report incident)

·         Do not return to the activity right after cramps go away.

·         Anticipate future reappearances.

Call your doctor if these conditions develop:

·         If you are unable to drink sufficient fluids because you have nausea or are vomiting, you may need rehydration with normal saline.

·         Heat cramps may accompany heat exhaustion.

·         If you have more severe symptoms of heat illness, including dizziness, fatigue, vomiting, headache, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, or a high temperature, get immediate medical care.

Heat exhaustion

With prolonged heat exposure, due to a loss of fluids and salts, heavy sweating and a rapid pulse is observed, this is a result of your body overheating. The body is unable to properly cool itself, and reduced blood flow to the brain may cause headaches and dizziness. People with high blood pressure are especially at risk.

Keep an eye on fellow workers for:

·         Faintness or dizziness.

·         Nausea or vomiting.

·         Heavy sweating often accompanied by cold, clammy skin.

·         Weak, rapid pulse.

·         Pale or flushed face.

·         Muscle cramps.

·         Headache.

·         Weakness or fatigue

Practical steps:

·         Drink water every 15 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.

·         Rest in the shade to cool down.

·         Wear a hat and light-colored clothing.

·         Learn the signs of heat illness and what to do in an emergency.

o    Remove any tight or unnecessary clothing.

o    Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.

o    Apply other cooling measures such as fans or ice towels.

Heat stroke

Heat stroke shocks the body’s cooling system and causes it to shut down. The most common type of heatstroke is sunstroke, which is caused by the sun shining directly on the head and neck for prolonged periods of time. Heat stroke is the most serious disorder associated with heat stress. It occurs when the body's temperature regulation fails and body temperature rises to critical levels. It is a medical emergency that can lead to death. In severe cases, a person’s body temperature can spike to 40^o c or more in as little as 10 minutes, which can lead to organ failure. If heatstroke isn’t treated immediately, it can be fatal.

Normal human body temperature, also known as normothermia or euthermia, is the typical temperature range found in humans. The normal human body temperature range is typically stated as 36.5–37.5 °c  (97.7–99.5 °f)

Simplified heat stress index

Category	Apparent	Signe & symptom developed
Caution	26-32oc (80-90of)	Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and physical activity
Extreme caution	32.5-40.5oc (90-105of)	Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion possible with prolonged exposure and physical activity.
Danger	40.5-54.0oc (105-130of)	Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion likely. Heatstroke possible with prolonged exposure and physical activity
Extreme danger	54.5oc (> 130of +)	Heatstroke or sunstroke imminent

               

Workable workload based on international standards

Work -rest regimen	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Continuous work	30 oc / 86of	26.5 oc / 80of	25 oc / 77of
75% work 25% rest, each hour	30.5 oc / 87 of	27.7 oc / 82 of	25.5 oc / 78
50% work 50% rest, each hour	31.6 oc / 89 of	29.4 oc / 85 of	27.7 oc / 82 of
25% work 75% rest, each hour	32.2 oc / 90 of	31.1 oc / 88 of	30 oc / 86 of

These threshold values are based on assumption that nearly all acclimatized, fully clothed workers with adequate water and salt intake should be able to function effectively under the given conditions without exceeding deep body temperature or core temperature of 38 ^Oc (100.4 ^Of). They are also based on assumption that the wet bulb globe temperature index (WBGT) of the resting place is the same or very close to that of the workplace. Where the WBGT of the work area is different from that of the rest area, a time-weighted average should be used.

Light	Sitting at ease, writing/typing, sorting light materials, inspecting crops, driving mobile equipment on paved roads.
Moderate	Using a hand rigger, off-road operation of mobile equipment, periodic handling of moderately heavy materials, digging, picking loads, spraying, container spraying on level ground, pushing or pulling light-weight carts or wheelbarrows, washing vehicles, walking 2-4 km/ph.
Heavy	Transferring heavy materials, shoveling, digging hard soil, hand mowing, loading sacks, stacking heavy loads, planting seedlings, hand-sawing wood, pushing or pulling loaded handcarts or wheelbarrows, moving irrigation pipe, laying cinder blocks, knapsack spraying on rough ground or an incline, walking 5 km/ph.
Very heavy	Heavy digging, ax work, climbing stairs, ramps, or ladders, lifting more that 15 kgs at 10 lifts per minute, walking faster that 5 km/ph, jogging, running

 

Certain medical conditions may be a factor in causing heat illness or may intensify by heat:

a)       Skin disorders may limit sweating (ex: dermatitis, when intensified by heat/moisture).

b)      Heart and lung diseases may limit the ability to cope with heat and may intensify by it.

c)       Diabetes, poorly controlled, may contribute to dehydration and may intensify by excessive heat.

d)      Diarrhea may contribute to dehydration.

e)       Obesity requires increased energy to move around and the extra insulation reduces heat loss – both contribute to the body's overall heat gain.