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OSHA
rule 29CFR 1910.132(a) requires employers to protect employees
against over exposure to the sun's radiation. The personal protective
equipment standards at 29 CFR 1910.132 through. 138 establish
the employer's obligation to provide personal protective equipment
to employees (at the employer's expense). OSHA Interpretation
October 18, 1994. |
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The
National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) intends
to release a NIOSH Alert regarding the hazards of ultraviolet radiation
(sun exposure to outdoor workers) in the near future. The American
Academy of Dermatology has determined, "Skin cancer is an important
occasional illness and is most often the result of excessive exposure
to ultraviolet light." Refer also to OSHA Standard 1926. 28(a)
and 29 CFR 1910.132(a). |
Understanding
Heatstress |
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1.
Beware of heat exhaustion, heat cramps or heat stroke during strenuous
activity in environments of 90° F or above.
2.
Allow your body to adjust to high-heat, high-humidity environments
before exertion begins.
3.
If you work in protective clothing in environments of 81°F
and above, experts recommend no more than 15 minutes per hour
unless cooling or heat-stress monitor is provided.
4.
Don’t depend on thirst or sweat as an indicator of escalating
body heat. Instead, be aware of the temperature and humidity,
and drink fluids with electrolytes at regular intervals.
Problem:
Sunburn:
Redness and pain. In severe cases, swelling of skin, blisters,
fever and headaches.
Solution:
Ointments for mild cases. Do not break blisters. If they do break,
apply dry, sterile dressing. For severe cases, consult a physician.
Heat
Cramps:
Painful muscles spasms, usually in the legs and abdomen. Possible
heavy sweating.
Solution:
Apply firm pressure on cramping muscles, then gently massage to
relieve muscle spasm. Give sips of Sqwincher every 15 minutes.
Heat
Exhaustion:
Heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, cold skin, pale and clammy.
Steady pulse, normal temperature, possible fainting and vomiting.
Solution:
Lie victim downout of sun, loosen clothing and apply cool cloths.
Fan or move victim to an air cooled room. Give sips of Sqwincher
every 15 minutes for 1 hour. If victim vomits, seek immediate
medical attention.
Exertional
Heat Illness:
Stuporous appearance, tired, nausea with possible vomiting. Unsteady
gait, heavy perspiration, dehydrated with high body temperature
(up to 108°F): often accompanied by headached, rapid respiration
and pulse.
Solution:
Cease exertion and prmptly cool body exterior. Initial replacement
of fluids: water first, then Sqwincher. If victim cannot retain
fluids, transport to hospital.
Heat
Stroke:
High Body Temperature (106° F or higher); hot, red and dry
skin, strong and rapid pulse, possible unconsciousness.
Solution:
Heat stroke is a severe medical problem. Move victim to cooler
area and reduce body temperature with a bath or sponging. Use
fans and air conditioners. Get victim to hospital immediately.
Delay can be fatal. Do not give fluids! |
California
Code on Heatstress |
California
Code of Regulations, Title 8,section 3395 Heat Illness Prevention.
Subchapter 7. General Industry Safety Orders Group 2. Safe Practices
and Personal Protection Article 10. Personal Safety Devices and
Safeguards New query §3395.
Heat Illness Prevention
(a) Scope and Application.
This section applies to the control of risk of occurrence of heat
illness. This is not intended to exclude the application of other
sections of Title 8, including, but not necessarily limited to,
sections 1230(a), 1512, 1524, 3203, 3363, 3400, 3439, 3457, 6251,
6512, 6969, 6975, 8420 and 8602(e). This section applies to all
outdoor places of employment at those times when the environment
risk factors for heat illness, as defined in (b), are present. Note
No. 1: The measures required here may be integrated into the employer's
Injury and Illness Program required by section 3203. Note No. 2:This
standard is enforceable by the Division of Occupational Safety and
Health pursuant to Labor Code sections 6308 and 6317 and any other
statutes conferring enforcement powers upon the Division. It is
a violation of Labor Code sections 6310, 6311, and 6312 to discharge
or discriminate in any other manner against employees for exercising
their rights under this or any other provision offering occupational
safety and health protection to employees.
(b) Definitions.
"Acclimatization" means temporary adaptation of the body
to work in the heat that occurs gradually when a person is exposed
to it. Acclimatization peaks in most people within four to fourteen
days of regular work for at least two hours
per day in the heat. "Heat Illness" means a serious medical
condition resulting from the body's inability to cope with a particular
heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope
and heat stroke. "Environmental risk factors for heat illness"
means working conditions that create the possibility that heat illness
could occur, including air temperature, relative humidity, radiant
heat from the sun and other sources, conductive heat sources such
as the ground, air movement, workload severity and duration, protective
clothing and personal protective equipment worn by employees. "Personal
risk factors for heat illness" means factors such as an individual's
age, degree of acclimatization, health, water consumption, alcohol
consumption, caffeine consumption, and use of prescription medications
that affect the body's water retention or other physiological responses
to heat. "Preventative recovery Period" means a period
of time to recover from the heat in order to prevent heat illness.
"Shade" means blockage of direct sunlight. Canopies, umbrellas
and other temporary structures or devices may be used to provide
shade. One indicator that
blockage is sufficient is when objects do not cast a shadow in the
area of blocked sunlight. Shade is not adequate when heat in the
area of shade defeats the purpose of shade, which is to allow the
body to cool. For example, a car
sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable shade to a person
inside it, unless the car is running with air conditioning.
(c) Provisions of Water.
Employees shall have access to potable drinking water meeting the
requirements of Sections 1524, 3363, and 3457, as applicable. Water
shall be provided in sufficient quantity at the beginning of the
work shift to provide one quart per employee per hour for drinking
for the entire shift. Employers may begin the shift with smaller
quantities of water if they have effective procedures for replenishment
during the shift as needed to allow employees to drink one quart
or more per hour. The frequent drinking of water, as described in
(e), shall be encouraged.
(d) Access to Shade.
Employees suffering from heat illness or believing a preventative
recovery period is needed, shall be provided access to an area with
shade that is either open to the air or provided with ventilation
or cooling for
a period of no less than five minutes. Such access to shade shall
be permitted at all times.
(e) Training.
(1) Employee training. Training in the following topics shall be
provided to all supervisory and non-supervisory employees. (A) The
environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness; (B) The
employer's procedures for identifying, evaluating, and controlling
exposures to the environmental and personal risk factors for heat
illness;
(C) The importance of frequent consumption of small quantities of
water, up to 4 cups per hour under extreme conditions of work and
heat; (D) The importance of acclimatization; (E) The different types
of heat illness and the common signs and symptoms of heat illness;
(F) The importance of immediately reporting to the employer, directly
or through the employee's supervisor, symptoms or signs of heat
illness in themselves, or in co-workers; (G) The employer's procedures
for responding to symptoms of possible heat illness, including how
emergency medical services will be provided should they become necessary;
(H) Procedures for contacting emergency medical services, and if
necessary, for transporting employees to a point where they can
be reached by an emergency medical service provider; (I) How to
provide clear and precise directions to the work site. (2) Supervisor
training. Prior to assignment to supervision of employees working
in the heat, training on the following topics shall be provided:
(A) The information required to be provided by section (e)(1) above.
(B) The procedures the supervisor is to follow to implement the
applicable provisions in this section. (C) The procedures the supervisor
is to follow when an employee exhibits
symptoms consistent with possible heat illness, including emergency
response procedures. (f) Review. No later than January 1, 2006,
the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board shall review
the feasibility of providing shade for all rest periods at outdoor
places of employment. Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor
Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code. HISTORY 1. New section
filed 8-22-2005 as an emergency; operative 8-22-2005 (Register 2005,
No. 34). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL
by 12- 20-2005 or emergency language will be repealed by operation
of law on the following day. 2. New section refiled 12-20-2005 as
an emergency; operative 12-20-2005 (Register 2005, No. 51). A Certificate
of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 4-19-2006 or emergency
language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
Go Back to Article 10 Table of Contents The above information is
provided free of charge by the Department of Industrial Relations
from its web site at http://www.dir.ca.gov/. |
| This
information is provided “as is” and is not to be considered
a warranty of product performance or as an authoritative informational
page. Due to the diverse field conditions and other variables which
can affect a product’s performance, Calolympic Safety disclaims
all warranties (expressed and implied) as to any product’s
performance or any information provided. |
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