What is Heat Stress?
When an individual is exposed to extreme heat or works in a high-temperature environment, he is prone to heat stress that can lead to occupational injuries or illnesses. Workers involved in outdoor jobs or jobs that emit a lot of heat such as bakeries, farming, mining, fire-fighting, and others, are majorly affected by heat stress.
Occupational hazards due to heat stress
Heat stress can result in serious injuries like heat stroke, heat rashes, heat cramps or heat exhaustion. Heat can also increase the risk of injuries caused by dizziness, fogged-up safety glasses or sweaty palms. Employees can also get burns if they accidentally encounter hot metallic surfaces.
Apart from the physical injuries enlisted above, it has also been proved by many research studies that heat stress causes workers to commit mental errors when the temperature rises above 95°F. A NASA study reveals that if the temperature is 95°F or above for an extended period of time, people usually make 60 mistakes per hour, without even realizing it. The mental fatigue is caused due to a disturbance in the human body’s natural, primary cooling system. At temperatures above 90-95°F, the human body loses its natural tendency to release internal energy which results in overheating and dehydration of the body. This consequently causes physical discomfort and fatigue along with diminished cognitive thinking skills which thereby hampers workers’ productivity at their jobs.
How to prevent heat stress injuries?
Train workers: Training is an important part of industrial workers as it prepares their minds to recognize and understand their job environment. It also helps them spot and treats heat stress injuries at the earliest to prevent further damage.
Equip heat stress relief products: Safeguarding workers' interests by ensuring proper medical aid at workplace is an important factor in motivating them. Equip essential medical supplies including Heat Stress Relief Products and Burn Care Products to provide immediate first aid in case of an emergency.
Provide plenty of water: Keep water in convenient locations to prevent workers from dehydration during work.
Schedule short, frequent breaks: Plan your work schedule so that every worker gets a sufficient amount of break-in air-conditioned or shaded areas. You can also equip Instant Cold Packs in the break area to soothe the workers' heat stress.
We cannot avoid heat; however, we can take preventive measures to control its effect. Certain environments require high temperatures and manual labor must be there to accomplish tasks. We can care for the employees and protect them from hazards by having optimum safety supplies and first aid medical kits. There are a variety of medical supplies, safety gear and industrial supplies, you can visit the online store and build your cart now!
