Excessive heat can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and serious health consequences, so proactive measures are essential. Below are key steps to keep your workforce safe and maintain productivity.
First, understand the risks. Excessive heat overwhelms the body’s cooling systems, causing heat-related illnesses. Educate employees and supervisors on warning signs such as heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, headache, nausea, confusion, or fainting.
Next, develop a comprehensive Heat Illness Prevention Plan. Document procedures covering training, acclimatization, work/rest schedules, shade provision, and hydration protocols. Assess the workplace for heat hazards and monitor temperatures or Heat Index readings to gauge dangerous conditions. Implement engineering controls (e.g., fans or increased air movement, reflective shielding, dehumidifiers) and administrative controls (scheduling strenuous tasks during cooler hours, limiting time in heat, shortening shifts, and enforcing rest breaks in cool areas).
Hydration is vital. Ensure easy access to fresh, cool drinking water and encourage employees to drink regularly—even before feeling thirsty (OSHA suggests about one cup every 20 minutes in hot conditions). For extended strenuous work, consider supplying electrolyte-containing beverages to replace salts lost through sweat.
Provide adequate rest and shade: schedule regular breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas to allow employees’ bodies to recover. Plan acclimatization for new or returning staff by gradually increasing their exposure to heat over several days, helping the body adjust.
Training and education are key. Conduct thorough sessions for employees and supervisors on heat stress hazards, symptom recognition, prevention strategies, and emergency response. Use free resources such as OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention materials to support training with checklists and guides.
Establish clear emergency response protocols. Define steps for suspected heat-related emergencies and ensure all staff know when to call 911 (e.g., in cases of confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness). Train designated first responders in appropriate first-aid measures until professional help arrives.
Monitor employees through a buddy system: encourage coworkers to watch for signs of heat illness in one another. Supervisors should frequently check on workers, especially those new to hot conditions or performing strenuous tasks during a heatwave.
By understanding risks, planning thoroughly, promoting hydration and rest, delivering training, and maintaining vigilant monitoring and review, HR managers can significantly reduce heat-related dangers and safeguard employee well-being during extreme heat events.
ASE Connect
HR Research Services: ASE members have access to the HR Hotline, CCH AnswersNow, and Zywave HR Services for more resources on heat safety.
Three Sixty Safety: ASE partners with Three Sixty Safety to bring workplace safety consulting and training services to ASE members. View their recent Toolbox Talks on heat-related illnesses and other weather related issues here. ASE members can get regular safety updates sponsored by Three Sixty Safety by signing up to receive Safety Saturday, a weekly email featuring a Three Sixty Safety Toolbox Talk. Join the mailing list here.