How to Reduce the Risk of Summer Heat-Related Illness in Outdoor Workers

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heatSummer is here.

And that means increased risk of heat-related illness, not just for pool-going families, but outdoor workers, too.

Labor-intensive activities in hot weather can raise body temperatures beyond the level that normally can be cooled by sweating. Heat illness initially may manifest as heat rash or heat cramps, but can quickly escalate to heat exhaustion and then heat stroke if simple preventative measures are not followed.

Heat illness disproportionately affects those who have not built up a tolerance to heat (acclimatization), and it is especially dangerous for new and temporary workers.

In 2012, there were 31 heat-related worker deaths and 4,120 heat-related worker illnesses.

Workers at particular risk are those in outdoor industries, such as agriculture, construction, landscaping and transportation.

“Heat-related illnesses can be fatal, and employers are responsible for keeping workers safe,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “Employers can take a few easy steps to save lives, including scheduling frequent water breaks, providing shade and allowing ample time to rest.”

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which runs an annual campaign to prevent heat illness, offers a bilingual mobile app to enable monitoring of the heat index at work sites.

They also have a variety of Spanish and English educational materials.

By The Numbers By The Numbers

25.1

percent

of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage

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