By Ruth Kiefer, MSc, ARM, Vice President of Loss Control

Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Last month MIOSHA issued a new SEP regarding a Heat Illness Prevention Plan, I’ve been getting a few phone calls regarding what’s in this plan and what you need to do as employers to comply with this new emphasis plan. Yes, this does cover both inside and outside employees, new workers, temporary workers, full-time, part-time, basically, any worker who is exposed to hot and humid conditions. These conditions are becoming a bit more common than we’d like. Special attention should be placed on new and returning employees since they will need to build up a tolerance to your warm environments again.

What’s involved with a plan?

Hazard Identification: You should create a heat illness prevention plan to protect workers from developing heat-related illnesses. In essence you are evaluating the conditions at your facility (when to implement).

Acclimation, Water, Rest: on-boarding new or returning employees to a hot environment, providing an airconditioned room or cool space, are you providing water or sports drinks to your employees when the heat index exceeds 90 degrees. With new or re-turning employees you may also have to modify their work schedule so they can get acclimated to the work environment again.

Monitoring for Heat Illness Symptoms: How to identify the symptoms of a heat related illness incase one of you employees develops heat related illnesses such as heat stroke, or heat exhaustion. Others include heat cramps or heat rash.

Training: The most important part of this plan is the training on what these symptoms are so that your workers and managers can recognize the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion and how to prevent them.

Emergency Planning & Response: what to do if a heat emergency arises and when to call 911. How to care for the employee until help arises. Heat stroke is the most serious and

Those are the basic requirements that most of you are already doing to protect your workers from heat related illnesses, MIOSHA just wants it formalized with some training for the employees to know how to recognize when they or someone is experiencing symptoms. My team and I are here to help you please reach out to us if you have any questions regarding the above initiative. We will be more than happy to assist you.

A sample plan, OHSA Fact Sheet, and training power point are located on the MIOSHA website at: www.michigan.gov/ heat