Updated June 2023
Summer is here and in Nevada the summer heat can rise to extremes. Staying safe and well from heat-related illnesses including heat exhaustion, heat rashes, hyperthermia, heat cramps, and heat stroke, is important while at work and at home. We have some important resources and tips below that can help you and your team stay safe from the heat this summer.
Water. Rest. Shade. OSHA’s Campaign to Keep Workers Safe in the Heat.
OSHA’s heat safety campaign to keep workers safe, which launched in 2011, offers many helpful tips and resources to help keep you and your team safe this summer on their site and through their helpful OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool smartphone app. Visit OSHA’s heat safety campaign page for more information on their program and to download the app (available for both iPhone and Android users).
OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool Smartphone App
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool smartphone app can help you take precautions against outdoor heat while at work. This free app offers real-time heat index and hourly forecasts, specific to your location, as well as occupational safety and health recommendations from OSHA and NIOSH. The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool is a useful resource for planning outdoor work activities based on how hot it feels throughout the day.
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool features:
- A visual indicator of the current heat index and associated risk levels specific to your current geographical location
- Precautionary recommendations specific to heat index-associated risk levels
- An interactive, hourly forecast of heat index values, risk level, and recommendations for planning outdoor work activities in advance
- Editable location, temperature, and humidity controls for calculation of variable conditions
- Signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, rhabdomyolysis, heat cramps, and heat rash
- First aid information for heat-related illnesses
OSHA’s Occupational Heat Exposure
For detailed information on occupational heat exposure and other related topics (heat-related Illnesses and first aid, prevention, industry-specific resources and OSHA the standards) please take the time to visit OSHA’s Occupational Heat Exposure page. Here you will find information and links to heat-related educational and training materials, fact sheets and training aids to help educate your employees about working in hot temperatures and/or heat illness/injuries.
SCATS Resources
SCATS offers free Heat-Related Illness classes on a regular basis, view upcoming classes here. SCATS also offers professional consultation services to businesses in Nevada to help you make sure that your workplace safety and health policies and procedures keep your employee safe – heat safety. You can request a free safety and health consultation for your business right here.
Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards. This includes protecting workers from extreme heat. If your workers are exposed to high SCATS is ready to help you with developing a complete heat illness prevention program including:
- Provide workers with water, rest and shade
- Allow new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize, or build a tolerance for working in the heat
- Plan for emergencies and train workers on prevention
- Monitor workers for signs of illness