What is Heat Stress?

Heat stress is the buildup of body heat generated internally by muscles or externally by the environment.

As heat increases, body temperature and heart rate rise painlessly.

Heat fatigue, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat stroke can result as the body is overwhelmed by heat.

Signs and Symptoms

There are four major forms of heat stress disorder: heat fatigue, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, with heat stroke being a life threatening condition.

Heat Fatigue occurs when your body cannot get rid of heat fast enough to cool down.

The primary sign of heat exhaustion is becoming more tired than your activity requires.

• You may also develop a slight headache.
• With heat fatigue you become accident prone.
• You’re fatigued and not thinking clearly
• You make mistakes

As soon as you recognize symptoms:

• Immediately sit in a cool shaded area.
• Drink water or a sports drink during the break.

Heat cramps are muscle spasms caused by heavy sweating and large body loss of salts, and water through activity.  If this occurs, drink a sports drink.  Heat cramps usually go away whether you do anything or not.

Signs and symptoms include:

• Muscle spasms
• Pain in the hands, feet, or abdomen

Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness that may occur after you’ve been exposed to high temperatures and have developed dehydration.

There are two types of heat exhaustion.

Water depletion signs include:

• Excessive thirst
• Weakness
• Headache
• Loss of consciousness

Salt depletion signs include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Frequent muscle cramps
• Dizziness
• Diaherra
• Treating heat exhaustion
• Immediately rest in a cool area out of the sun
• Drink more water than you feel like drinking
• Remove any tight or unnecessary clothes to promote cooling
• Take a cool shower or bath
• Apply fans or ice towels

Heat stroke is the most serious form of heat stress.

It is a true medical emergency that can be fatal if not properly and promptly treated. Immediate action must be taken to cool the body before serious injury and death occur.  Competent medical help must be called immediately.

Signs and symptoms include:

• The absence of sweating, with hot red or flushed dry skin
• Rapid pulse
• Difficulty breathing
• Seizure
• Treating a heat stroke victim
• Notify emergency services (911)
• Get the victim to a shady area
• Apply cool water to the skin
• Fan the victim to promote evaporation and sweating
• Place ice packs under armpits and groin

Accimatization

Acclimatization is the process your body goes through to adjust to changes in temperature

• If you are new to the work environment you are un-acclimatized.
• If you have been away from work for more than 3 days you can lose your acclimatization.
• During acclimatization your body adjusts your sweating and other heat regulating body temperature mechanisms
• The acclimatization process takes about 5 to 14 days for the average person

During acclimatization you are at more risk for heat related injuries such as heat exhaustion or heat cramps.

Take extra caution during the acclimatization process to prevent such injuries

What should un-acclimatized person do?

• Drink plenty of fluids
• Water
• Sports Drinks
• Be extra cautious and aware of the symptoms of heat stress
• Avoid over-working
• Wear light cotton clothing

What are the benefits of Acclimatization?

• More stable and better regulated heart rate and blood pressure
• The same activity will take less heart activity
• You will sweat more efficiently, allowing the body to cool faster, and thus easier to maintain normal body temperatures
• Less risk of heat stress

Heat Stress Prevention

Various factors increase your risk to heat stress.  These include:

• Age – older workers have lower sweat rates and a lower cardiovascular response
• Medication – Certain medications, such as high blood pressure or diet pills, may increase risk of heat stress
• Obesity – Obese workers are less efficient at removing heat
• Physical Fitness – Poor physically fit employees have a harder time dealing with a hot environment

Hydration

• To keep up with the loss of sweat while working it is recommended:
• Drink 8oz of water every 20 minutes.
• That’s 1-2 bottles of water an hour.
• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. Thirst is a sign of dehydration, and you’ve already become heat stressed
• Hydration helps in regulating our body temperature
• Staying Hydrated and preventing heat stress is a 24/7 activity
• You need water all the time, not just at work
• Drinking water and staying hydrated all day keeps you one step ahead of heat stress
• Things that can cause dehydration
• Alcoholic beverages
• Caffeinated beverages
• Prescription medicine
• Over-the-counter medicine

Work-Rest Regimens

Why are work-rest regimens so important?

• Work-rest regimens allow your body to cool and slow down periodically to recover.
• The more stressful the environment the more rest is needed
• Work- rest regimens are applied on an hourly basis
• For example.15 minutes rest, 45 minutes work
• Taking short but frequent breaks are the most beneficial
• Rest in “Cooler” areas
• Remember to hydrate with either water or a sports drink

Heart disease
A study released this week connects noisy work places to heart disease in many employees. The study released by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver shows that workplace noise can, and does have a significant impact on employee health; especially heart disease. Previously employers though occupational noise likely only lead to hearing problems; it seems they now have more problems to deal with as well.
Research shows that people exposed to consistently high levels of noise at work are up to twice as likely to develop heart disease. The data was collected from numerous sources and numerous jobs, covering almost all areas of employment. Of the employees who already reported having at least some indicators of heart disease 21 of them reported having to deal with persistent noise at work for at least a 9 month period.
According to researchers the definition of persistent noise is not music or loud talking, but rather unwanted noise that is constant. Usually something like a machine is considered to be persistent noise; especially if it is always running. Throughout the study researchers did everything they could to isolate noise as a variable; from this they were able to conclude that exposure to loud noise at work does play a role in heart disease development.
Researchers also found that smoking can also compound other risk factors for heart disease; particularly in young men. Following the release of the study the U.S. Health Board announced that they would begin working on standards to put in place regarding noise exposure for employees; this would theoretically help to lower the possibility of employees being affected by the noise. It is still too early for any speculation of what sort of restrictions or safety regulations will be mandated due to the finding of this study.

It’s a move that could change the way every plant or manufacturing facility thinks about noise.  OSHA has released its official interpretation of the phrase “feasible administrative or engineering controls” as part of the agency’s General Industry and Construction Occupational Noise Exposure Standards.  The rule reads: “employers must use administrative or engineering controls rather than personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce noise exposures that are above acceptable levels when such controls are feasible. “The word “feasible” is the source of the conflict and the clarification from OSHA.  OSHA will clarify the word by defining it as “capable of being done”.  OSHA plans to revise its current enforcement policy to reflect the change.  The move could force many companies to look for new noise control solutions.