Staying Healthy in the Heat
Staying Healthy in the Heat
Protecting your business during the Heat Season
During the hot season as a business owner, it is your responsibility to stay in tune with the weather changes and keep your employees safe. These are a few tips to prevent employee heat illnesses and in turn, protect your business from health and safety judicial penalties.
How can heat stress affect your business?
A worker expending large amounts of physical energy in a hot and humid environment, without regular rest or water breaks may eventually experience heat exhaustion, fainting, heat stroke or heart attack. Long-term, this can lead to reproductive problems, heart and lung strain and other complications, and may even result in death.
What are the law requirements
According to the law under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers and supervisors have the duty to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker. This includes developing hot and cold environment policies and procedures to protect workers in hot and cold environments.
How to protect your business and employees’ health according to the applicable laws
- Make staff aware of the hazards of heat stress and provide the necessary training on first aid reporting, emergency response, etc.
- Allow adequate rest and hydration breaks.
- Conduct regular inspections to identify potential hazards and ensure the necessary controls to prevent an incident.
- Check on employees from time to time, ensuring they are functioning well.
- Maintain the workplace by ventilating it with cool air, providing shade and easy access to potable water.
- Instruct workers to wear light and breathable summer clothing (while wearing proper PPE).
Staying Healthy in the Heat
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