Between the summer’s sweltering heat and humidity, the country is boiling. And the heat seems to be going nowhere fast. As such, heat-induced occupational illnesses, injuries and reduced productivity are likely to occur more than usual, particularly with excessive exposure to a hot work environment.

Between 1979 and 2002, exposure to excessive heat caused 8,966 deaths in the United States, with more people dying from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The heat wave in countries on either side of the Atlantic last month reportedly caused 30 deaths in Europe in a matter of days. The heat that sizzled in California last week, causing 130 deaths as of Friday, has hung over the Midwest for several days. Last year was the deadliest on record in California, with 15 heat-related deaths reported at workplaces statewide, according to Cal-OSHA statistics. Overall, the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigated 25 instances of heat-related problems in the workplace, including the deaths.

Obviously, between the summer’s sweltering heat and humidity, the country is boiling. With the National Weather Service forecasting ongoing high temperatures with few breaks from Mother Nature, heat-induced occupational illnesses, injuries and reduced productivity are more likely to occur, particularly with excessive exposure to a hot work environment.

Research conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) shows that work in hot environments is linked with lower mental alertness and physical performance, and subsequently, more injuries. Consider, too, elevated body temperature and physical discomfort, and workers frequently overlook common safety procedures.

Common sense may say the occupations most likely to expose workers to heat-injury vulnerability are those of outdoor operations conducted in hot weather, such as construction, refining, asbestos removal and hazardous waste site activities — especially “those that require workers to wear semipermeable or impermeable protective clothing,” notes the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). From roofers and road crews to outdoor electricians and farm laborers in the field, a number of workers each year fall prey to heat-related injuries and even death. In California last year, the majority of heat-related illnesses occurred among workers in construction and agriculture (67 percent), followed by transportation and service (12.5 percent each) and public safety (8 percent) jobs, according to The Sacramento Bee.

While such jobs indeed are likely to cause heat stress among exposed workers, those working indoors are not exempt.

Many employees are exposed to indoor high-heat environments. Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, strenuous physical activities or direct physical contact with hot objects have a high potential for inducing heat stress in employees engaged in such operations. Such places include: iron and steel foundries, nonferrous foundries, brick-firing and ceramic plants, glass products facilities, rubber products factories, electrical utilities (particularly boiler rooms), steam tunnels, chemical plants and food canneries — even bakeries, commercial kitchens and laundries.

Even those of us sitting at a keyboard and monitor in a cubicle are exposed and thus affected — as many employees’ office buildings may lack proper ventilation or air conditioning. This is particularly a potentiality in northern regions of the U.S., where such precautions normally are not considered as necessary as those office buildings in southern states.

Heat exhaustion — primarily from dehydration — and heat stroke are the two most serious forms of heat-related illnesses, says OSHA.

Heat stroke can cause permanent disability if there is no emergency treatment. It can also be fatal. Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to control its temperature and cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes, according to the CDC. Warning signs of heat stroke include the following: dry, hot skin with no sweating; mental confusion (which is most of us, anyhow) or losing consciousness; and seizures or convulsions.

Heat exhaustion can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids, the CDC says. Those working in a hot environment, elderly people and people with high blood pressure are most prone to heat exhaustion, it says. Warning signs are as follows: headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting; weakness and moist skin; mood changes such as irritability or confusion; and upset stomach or vomiting.

Heat exhaustion should not be dismissed lightly, however, for several reasons. One is that the fainting associated with heat exhaustion can be especially dangerous if the victim is operating machinery or controlling an operation that should not be left unattended; moreover, the victim may be injured when he or she faints. Something else to consider is that the signs and symptoms seen in heat exhaustion are similar to those of heat stroke — the aforementioned medical emergency.

In addition to causing potentially life-threatening conditions such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, hot weather and working conditions can contribute to accidents that occur as the result of “sweating, slippery palms, fogged-up safety glasses and dizziness,” says Occupational Hazards. A worker handling heavy machinery with sweaty palms, a dizzy-from-heat truck driver steering a big-rig on a crowded highway, etc., etc.

As such, the National Weather Service advises drinking plenty of fluids and staying in an air-conditioned room. Of course, staying indoors is not always an option for some employees. The CDC and OSHA advise the following:

• Drink more water, regardless of your activity level. OSHA advises drinking about one cup of water every 15 minutes.

• Avoid liquids containing caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar, because they cause you to lose more body fluid. Avoid very cold drinks as they can cause stomach cramps.

• Prior to work activity, do not eat heavy meals.

• If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him or her how much you should drink while the weather is hot. Also, ask about any interaction between your medications and heat.

• Know that equipment such as respirators and work suits can increase heat stress.

• Know signs/symptoms of heat-related illnesses; monitor yourself and coworkers.

• Block out direct sun or other heat sources.

• Use cooling fans/air-conditioning; rest regularly.

• Wear lightweight, light colored, loose-fitting clothes.

Working Outdoors is an OSHA fact sheet that offers advice on ways to protect against exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV), precautions to take if working in extreme heat, and how to protect against Lyme Disease and the West Nile Virus. (The fact sheet also offers information links for teenagers working at summer jobs — give to your teenage sons or daughters lifeguarding at the local pool or mowing lawns in the neighborhood, et al.)

OSHA’s Heat Stress Card lists tips and precautions to prevent many heat-related deaths and injuries. Available in English and Spanish, this laminated card is free to employers to distribute to their workers. It offers a quick reference about heat-related injuries, including warning signs, symptoms and early treatment.

While often considered a summer or southern states problem, all companies need to take heat-injury precautions throughout the year regardless of their location. Such heat poses a threat to everyone, and employers and workers should take the necessary precautions.

Resources

Extreme Heat: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety
Centers for Disease Control, last modified: July 31, 2006

OSHA Products Available to Keep Workers Safe in Hot Weather
U.S. Dept. of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), May 16, 2006

Section III: Chapter 4: Heat Stress
OSHA Technical Manual

Working Outdoors in Warm Climates
OSHA Fact Sheet

HEAT Stress
OSHA Quick Card

Sizzling Temperatures a Danger Across the U.S.
by Lindsay E. Pond
American Red Cross, July 21, 2006

Workers Should Take Extra Measures To Stay Safe in Heat
by Katherine Torres
Occupational Hazards, July 18, 2006

Heat Wave, Storm Hit Europe
by Komfie Manalo
All Headline News, July 22, 2006