7 Steps to Summertime Safety on Site

Summer brings beautiful days, and new risks for workers. Heat and exposure are responsible for illnesses and deaths, particularly in construction. Construction workers make up less than 10% of the workforce, but experienced nearly 40% of all heat-related deaths in 2020. It is difficult to provide numbers on illness and injury, as many go under- or unreported (4). Luckily, there are methods to combat these negative impacts and complete the work. 

What you can do:

Keep an eye out for symptoms.

Published by the CDC, symptoms and treatments include 

• Heat stroke is a Medical Emergency! It can be fatal or cause permanent disability. Signs and symptoms of heat stroke include high body temperature; confusion; loss of coordination; hot, dry skin or profuse sweating; throbbing headache; and seizures or coma. Dial 911. Move the worker to a cool, shaded area. Cool the worker quickly with a cold water or ice bath if possible. Remove their outer clothing and apply iced bedsheets or cooling packs to their chest, armpits, and groin. Continue cooling the worker until EMS arrives, unless the worker is shivering.

• Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to excessive dehydration and loss of electrolytes and can quickly progress to heat stroke. Signs and symptoms include a rapid heart rate; excessive sweating; extreme weakness or fatigue; dizziness; nausea, vomiting; irritability; rapid, shallow breathing; and a slightly elevated body temperature. Move the worker to rest in a cool area. Loosen their clothing. Encourage them to drink plenty of water or other cool beverages. If facilities are available, allow them to take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath. Call 911 if the worker’s condition worsens or if there is no improvement within 15 minutes.

• Heat cramps affect workers who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. Symptoms of heat cramps include muscle cramps, pain, or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs. Have the affected worker stop all activity and sit in a cool place. Encourage them to drink clear juice or a sports beverage, or drink water with food. Avoid salt tablets. Do not allow the worker to engage in strenuous work for a few hours after the cramps subside. Seek medical attention if the worker has heart problems, is on a low-sodium diet, or if their cramps do not subside within one hour.

Ensure access to shade and water.

Shade is vital, as moving in and out of air conditioned spaces fatigues the body and exposure should be minimized. Water should be everywhere. There should be reasonably accessible and clearly defined stations. As described in the symptoms above, drinks with sugar and electrolytes can effectively assist and may be good to keep if needed.

Quality control the site. 

Checks of water and shade access should be a regular practice. Ensure all workers are satisfying safety requirements, watching for removing PPE to cool off and identifying potential hazards or symptoms.

Strategize.

Plan outdoor work hours around extreme heat times when possible. When not, try to evaluate the most strenuous activities and prioritize these at lower exposure times like morning or in the evening.  

Find affordable and impactful solutions to suggest. Summer work attire and accessories like breathable PPE, sunshades and glasses, and sweat bands decrease heat exposure while increasing comfort and visibility. Promoting sunscreen to decrease UV exposure is a simple but effective practice. 

Stay Informed.

Track temperatures and conditions considering worker impacts from both temperature and tasks in addition to potential effects carrying over. 

Download the NIOSH/OSHA Heat App [iOS | Android]

Collect employee data such as heart rate and temperature to inform future efforts. 

Acknowledge potential higher risk activities such as frequent shock of rapidly changing temperatures, health and food consumption, alcohol use, and potential medical side-effects.

Consider Innovative Options.

Using machines or equipment to replace physically strenuous tasks and practicing prefabrication when possible are ways to get the work done faster and keep workers safe 

Learn and Educate:

Make sure your employees know that their well-being comes first. Do not risk employees being harmed or potentially killed because they do not feel supported in taking the care they need.

Educate yourself, as a crew member or leader, and your team on how to identify these and steps that can be taking to help yourself and how to help others. There is nothing you can do to help someone if you do not understand what they are experiencing.

Suggest acclimation practices. Slowly increasing the amount of time spent outside by employees, starting inexperienced employees at 20% exposure on the first day, for example, is a suggested practice. *Acclimation can be lost in just a few days away from work* (CDC)

Happy employees are safe employees. Comfortable employees contribute much more.

Avoid the risk and increase efficiency by optimizing summer work.

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Sources: https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/05/21/heat-stress-construction/ https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/prevention https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/DataBulletin-May2022.pdf https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/IG-Heat-Related-Deaths.pdf https://www.degemmill.com/summer-safety-tips-construction/