Guys if you live or work anywhere around the South or South East it is gonna be another scorcher today and be sure to take frequent breaks and drink lots of water.
And in that same vein of thought, does anyone know the OSHA rules for working in extreme heat or for that matter extreme cold. It seems to me that of all the employers I worked for in the past NONE took into consideration the head and humidity or cold. I kinda wonder how many know of the OSHA rules for field workers and the requirements for frequent water breaks.
If someone has those rules handy can you post them.?ÿ
Heat Illness Prevention Program. I believe that every employer is required to have one. Lots of information provided by the links found here:
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Was this a Freudian slip:
of all the employers I worked for in the past NONE took into consideration the head
You should find a better employer then. If you work in one of the 22 states shown in lighter blue here, the OSHA approved State plan applies to private employers as well as?ÿ state and local governments:
Here is a tool for putting together a compliant HIPP in California.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/08-006/index.htm
It must be in writing (multiple languages as dictated by the demographics of the employees) and available to all employees and Cal/OSHA representatives upon request. There are a few exceptions, mostly federal work related (military bases, tribal lands, etc), otherwise, every employer is required to have one. Heat exposure kills. Why any employer would willingly put their assets/employees at risk of illness or death, not to mention the huge exposure to fines and/or criminal prosecution is beyond my comprehension.
Also look at:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/prevention.html
It is linked from the previous link.?ÿ If OSHA rules are applicable to you you'd BETTER have a written protocol for your workers.?ÿ Speaking from experience in dealing with OSHA, "If it ain't documented it didn't happen".?ÿ If you are ever audited by OSHA they WILL find something "wrong".
Andy
Written guidance should be in place. Your employer needs to recognize it's a starting point document. Plans are to get your feet moving, but you have the experience. Take precautions and stop when you know you should, even if the plan says you aren't beyond safe limits.
If you don't believe Safety people (CSP, Certified Safety Professional) and Industrial Hygienists don't earn their money just look at ONE of the items that they are responsible for establishing:
https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_4.html
I never had to do all the calculations (or buy the necessary equipment), I just took the information supplied and applied it to the appropriate situations.?ÿ The WORST situation I've ever had was for the workers to work for 15 minutes and take a 45 minute break.?ÿ And consume one quart of water per hour.?ÿ This was a REQUIREMENT, we had OSHA, EPA and the Coast Guard watching us all the time.
Andy
Guys if you live or work anywhere around the South or South East it is gonna be another scorcher today and be sure to take frequent breaks and drink lots of water
Great suggestion!
And consume one quart of water per hour.?ÿ
Keep away from iced tea. Caffeine is a diuretic. Summer of '88 I was taken to a hospital for heat exhaustion. The ER Dr. said I should drink equal amounts of water and Gatorade.
We did supply Gatorade. One quart in the morning before work, one quart at lunch and one quart at "quitting time". The best time to hydrate is the day before. Drinks LOTS of water in the evenings, even if it does require getting up at night. Also, I've seen a study that links iced tea to kidney stones. If you've ever had a kidney stone you'll do whatever it takes to prevent them again.
Andy
Andy, I fell out today and I'm the one who posted this warning about the heat . Of all days I fell out while helping a surveyor from Paulding County that I'm sure you know well. The ground temp was 97 and the feels like temp was 110. His initials are J.T. and he needed some points on a gas line shot and he called my wife to come get me but by the time she got there I had recovered.
I have had heat exhaustion really bad before so I am prone to it now and even though I drank lots of fluids it got me and I could not go in.
Very good points. My post was not encouraging folks to ignore guidance, only to treat limits as maximums rather than goals.
I watched a young man die of heat stroke once. He was trying to be tough. Heat didn't care...
I was just about to start a new thread and saw this one instead. ?ÿMight be heat related, although honestly today weather-wise was quite comfortable.
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I am a 49 year old solo surveyor. ?ÿ
I found my limit today.
Setting only 50 lath on a construction job site in 6 hours.
That apparently is my physical limit.
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Thanks for listening to my true confession.
Where's Ted? ?ÿWe need him to motivate Brad..............................................................................and me,too.
My limit was last Wednesday when I reached the POB of my latest traverse around 200?ñac, angles +0?ø00'12" closure N18?øE 0.05ft.
Those frog togg water-soaked blanket over my neck and shoulders and a water-soaked doorag under a wide brimmed straw hat on my head work great.
I am on hiatus from exposure to daytime outside adventures apart from getting to truck and back into dwelling until further notice.
currently hazy 99F feels like 110F
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I was kinda discussing the heat and working conditions yesterday with my younger brother, who has some free time at the moment, so is trying to help out at the survey office.?ÿ (How's that going you ask???ÿ Not too good!!!)?ÿ?ÿ I was telling him about how I have actually been accused of animal abuse for making my horse work in the heat.?ÿ No comment about me being out in the same heat, mind you.?ÿ No, those young ladies didn't care about that, but they was all in a tizzy about my poor horse being out in the heat.
Here's some apps. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/heat_app.html?ÿ
Of course if you want to get fancy https://www.extrememeters.com/collections/heat-stress-meters/products/kestrel-5400-heat-stress-tracker?ÿ I think this is what our linemen are going to start using.
Heat is no joke.
Just got the accident report, 29 year old FF, full PPE and helmet, 79 degrees, passed away due to heat illness.
be careful, take it seriously.
