In college, I worked as a landscaper for a work-study program. I still remember the day my employer bought a tent for us to rest in on breaks and during lunch.

I’m not even sure how much they paid for it, but to me it was worth a million dollars. Being able to stop the mower, walk over to the tent, and sit in the shade for a few minutes made all the difference.

Other people on the job with me all said the same thing, that the tent made us feel valued and important. We could sense that the employer wanted us to have reasonable comforts in the heat of the day, and that made us respect them more.

Hot Weather Hazards for Outdoor Workers

The chances of having a heat-related injury increases dramatically in the summer. This is especially true for industries that require outdoor work for extended periods of time.

Other factors add to the risk of working during the hotter months, including:

  • Physically demanding work
  • Working near hot machinery
  • Wearing a lot of personal protective equipment (PPE)

Gloves that are designed to protect workers’ hands from injury can also add also hold in quite a bit of heat. If you’re already hot from the sun and the air temperature around you, that extra heat on your hands can feel like a lot.

Assessing Heat Risks

The U.S. Department of Labor doesn’t have a specific standard for compliance that specifically covers working in the heat. But employers still have a duty to provide a safe environment and to protect workers from heat-related illness on the job.

The first step is assessing the level of risk. Looking at the temperature isn’t always enough, however. Other factors like wind speed and humidity will affect how hot it feels and how well the body can cool itself down.

The Heat Index is a far more useful measure. It combines temperature and the relative humidity to provide a more accurate picture of the level of heat stress workers will experience

OSHA also provides a Heat Safety Tool that can help you determine the level of heat-related risks and what types of precautions will be necessary.

Preventing Heat Exhaustion

There are a few basic steps you can take to help workers avoid heath exhaustion:

  • Post signs on the jobsite to keep the heat risk at the forefront of every worker’s mind
  • Allow employees to acclimate to the warmer weather with gradual exposure
    • This is especially true for new employees – OSHA recommends only exposing new employees to 20% heat exposure on the first day and increasing by 20% on each subsequent day
  • Provide cooling essentials: rest, shade, and water
  • Establish an emergency management plan to help workers showing signs of heat exhaustion and heat-related stress
    • Do this before hot weather arrives – summer days can get really hot, really fast, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard

And be sure to remind workers of what they can do to keep themselves safe on hot days:

  • Look out for each other – if anyone is showing signs of heat stress, encourage them to take a break or mention it to your supervisor
  • Know the signs of overheating, which include:
    • Slurred speech
    • Confusion
    • Muscle cramps
    • Dizziness
    • Redness or rashes on the skin
  • Pace yourself – physically demanding work increases your risk of heat-related illness, so take it easy when you can
  • Hydrate regularly – take sips of water as you work instead of waiting until you feel really thirsty
  • Take extra precautions if you have a medical condition or take medication that can increase your sensitivity to heat and make you more susceptible to dehydration