The construction busy season is upon us and, unfortunately, so is the blistering heat and humidity. Heat related illnesses are a serious concern in the construction industry and OSHA has put forth a campaign to raise awareness for prevention. Heat related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat rash, and perhaps more importantly, their symptoms present very dangerous circumstances on a construction job site. Many of the illnesses can cause fainting, confusion, dizziness, weakness, and other pain, so you can imagine how that would cause issues with someone working 20 feet in the air needing to climb up and down ladders and scaffolds.
One of the ways OSHA is raising awareness is through the recent release of their Heat Safety Tool, which is available on Android and for the iPhone. The app allows workers to calculate the heat index based upon the temperatue and humidity level at their job site and displays a rick level for heat illness. When a risk level is established, the app also includes precautions that should be taken to prevent any symptoms, which typically include drinking plenty of water, finding shade out of direct sunlight. More information about preventing heat illness can be found at OSHA’s heat illness prevention page. The app is also available on both Android and Apple devices in Spanish.
Heat Safety Tool (Android) | OSHA
Heat Safety Tool (iPhone) | OSHA
