HEAT

CRAMPS | HEAT RASH | HEAT EXHAUSTION | HEAT S

TROK

E |

Muscle Spasms

Pric

kly

Hea

t

Red S

pots

and B

umps

Inflamed Skin

Dehydration

Pale/Clammy Skin

FatigueDizziness

Nausea

Vomiting

Shallow Breathing

Rapid P

ulse

Altered Mental State

Disorie

ntat

ion

Con

fusi

on

Abdominal Cramping

Calf/Thigh C

ramping

Biceps/Triceps Cramping

KNOW THE DANGERS OF HEAT STRESS

SYMPTOMS OF HEAT STRESS

TIPS TO HELP PREVENT HEAT STRESS • Wear loose-fitting clothing• Drink water frequently without waiting until you're thirsty• Schedule hot jobs for cooler parts of the day• Scheduled maintenance and repairs should take place in the cooler seasons

Extreme heat can take a heavy toll on workers. It can reduce productivity and can lead to dangerous medical complications, such as heat stress and heat stroke. Keeping your workers comfortable during the workday is an important part of ensuring their personal safety. A well-managed work safety program can help reduce injuries, improve regulatory compliance, and manage risk. Here’s some helpful information about heat stress and some tips for prevention.

• Schedule additional work breaks• Reduce exposure times for crew members• Allow workers to interrupt work when they are affected by the heat• Provide immediate first aid to any worker that appears to be affected by heat-related illness.

Scientific evidence suggests that maintaining indoor temperatures near the center of the comfort zone (71°F) and providing higher ventilation rates can increase work performance. According to a study conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, when temperatures reach 77° F productivity starts to decline. Balancing airflow to various sections of a building can help maintain desired temperatures.

Sources:Protecting Workers from Heat Illness (OSHA)Seppanen, O., Fisk, W.J. and Faulkner, D., 2003, Cost benefit and analysis of the night-time ventilative cooling in office building. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

© 2014 W.W. Grainger, Inc.

71̊ F

Find it at Grainger

AIR CIRCULATORS Whatever the purpose, there’s a circulator to tackle the job. Will the fan be used in a washdown area? Does it need to do double duty as a mister? Or maybe you just want to move it around? You have many options.

KEEP A COOL HEADKeeping a cool head is your best defense against heat stress. Workers typically use hats with brims when working outdoors in the direct sun. It’s a good idea to keep a supply of sports drinks and thirst quenchers on hand too. If the job requires wearing a hard hat, cooling pads that fit underneath work well. Dew rags and headbands with water-activated cooling beads are also popular.

READ MORE ABOUT PREVENTING HEAT STRESS AND SHOP NOW FOR HEAT STRESS PREVENTION ITEMS.