MISK City,
IRQAH Infrastructure Upgrade
Heat Stress
Management Plan
ADVACON PROJECTS UNDER MISK CITY
Document No.: MC-PH01-IND-15A03-ADV-XXX-XXX-XXXXXX
Issue Status:
Name
Job Title
For Approval
Revision: 000
Project Phase: Construction Stage
Prepared By:
Clark Salvador
HSE Manager
Checked & Approved By:
Ahmad Al Hallaj
Project Manager
09 April 2022
09 April 2022
Signature
Date
Controlled Copy No. _________
Document No.: MC-PH01-IND-15A03-ADV-XXX-XXX-XXXXXX
Copy Issued to: __________
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MISK City,
IRQAH Infrastructure Upgrade – Phase 2
REVISION HISTORY
Revision No.
Date
000
09 April 2022
Name of Holder
Change Description
Heat Stress Management Plan
REGISTER OF CONTROLLED COPY HOLDERS
Copy No.
Purpose
No. of Copies
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MISK City,
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1
Purpose
4
2
General Duties and responsibilities
4
3
Heat Stress Management Plan
6
3.1
Protection of Employees from Hot Climate
6
3.2
Heat Stress Orientation and Education Campaign
6
3.3
Conducting Heat Stress Emergency Drills
6
3.4
Common ailments resulting from Heat Stress
6
4
Work Environment Provisions for Hot Climate
7
5
Information of Daily Weather Advisory
7
6
Reporting Heat Stress Incidents
8
7
Emergency Response for Heat Stress Affected Workers
8
7.1
8
Identifying and responding to a Heat-Stressed worker
8
Managing Heat Stress
8
8.1
Guidelines to manage Heat Stress
8
8.2
Exposure to the Sun
8
8.3
Symptoms of Heat Stress
9
8.4
Flag System
10
8.5
Key elements for controlling heat stress
11
8.6
Signs & Symptoms of Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
11
8.7
Heat Stroke First Aid
12
8.8
Heat exhaustion first aid
12
9
Heat and Humidity
12
10
Heat Stress Incident Flow Chart
13
11
Summary
13
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MISK City,
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1 Purpose
The purpose of this plan is to give safety guidelines and measures to Advacon employees who are
to be exposed to hot working environment or otherwise at risk of injury or illness due to heat
stress factors, to help ensure the elimination or reduction of heat stress related injuries or illness.
2 General Duties and responsibilities
Advacon Construction Manager is required to ensure that these guidelines are taken up with high
regard with respect to Heat Stress Management System and that it is followed without exception.
Advacon Construction Manager with the coordination of HSE Manager will implement and
conduct additional breaks needed to cool off on hot jobs in particularly hot conditions,
considering regulatory requirements implemented by local authorities (such as the mid-day break
during peak summer season, to prohibits all work outside under direct sunlight).
HSE Manager shall review the plan in regular basis and ensure that the plan is effective. Any
related incidents shall be recorded and taking consideration of revising the heat stress plan as
deemed necessary.
Site Engineer, Area Supervisors, First Aiders, or area HSE Supervisor must review heat stress
precaution according to the work to be performed in hot locations.
Area Supervisors along with the Safety officers shall evaluate non-routine jobs where there may
be a heat stress concern and plan accordingly.
Area Supervisors and Safety Officers should “TEMPORARILY SUSPEND THE WORK” as
and when required in terms at Heat Index Indicator or displayed flag.
First Aiders shall ensure that all Heat Stress related incidents are attended, reported, properly
investigated and documented.
All workers must be familiar with the early warning signs of heat stress and take immediate
precaution when noted.
Inspect, utilize, clean, care and maintain personal protective equipment provided by Advacon.
Drink plenty of fluids prior to entering a hot environment and continuously monitor as indicated
to prevent dehydration (1/2 liter every 20 minutes)
Take regular breaks and follow flagging system and report all heat stress related illness to
immediate supervisor
Inform the supervisor or area HSE representative of any heat stress concerns relating to the
workplace.
Area Supervisors shall implement heat stress controls in accordance with the heat index.
Monitor subordinate’s exposure to heat and modify work schedules and apply mitigation
measures accordingly.
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Apply effective controls to control the heat stress at work and suspend the activity when required
or when advised by HSE representative.
Schedule the most physical activities, if possible, for the coolest part of the day.
Provide cool water and encourage employees to drink fluids regularly. As the intensity of work
and heat index climbs, increase more fluids.
Employ the buddy system which encourages fellow employees to look out after each other.
Ensure employees are aware of the symptoms of Heat Stress. Employee training should also be
focused on protective measures for working in high heat and humidity in work areas.
The delivery of drinking water on the daily basis shall be twice a day minimum, or more
depending on the volume of workers at site and as per request by site foreman/supervisors.
The site foreman shall have the responsibility of ensuring that all water containers have sufficient
drinking water content. He shall check the contents every hour and report any need for the
replenish supply to the assigned water delivery in-charge.
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3 Heat Stress Management Plan
3.1
Protection of Employees from Hot Climate
Employees shall be oriented and instructed on the potential hazards in their workplaces and
how to manage them.
Advacon shall ensure that its employees are protected from the adverse effects of working
in hot climate and environment. Project management shall be proactive with Saudi
Government ‘s advice for prescribed cut-off for working hours, 1200 to 1500hrs, with the
aim of limiting the length of exposure to hot work environment of project field personnel.
3.2
Heat Stress Orientation and Education Campaign
Project key personnel, including Safety Supervisors and Officers, shall be trained in
administering anti-Heat Stress measures and procedures.
The Phase Manager shall ensure that this training is performed and updated throughout the
entire project execution and whenever the treat of heat stress is imminent in view of the hot
work environment.
Workers shall be given appropriate orientation and safety notices as to the preventive
measures to avoid heat stress.
Workers shall also be oriented with emergency response procedures for addressing
workers who are observed to be showing the symptoms of heat stress.
The heat stress information campaign and emergency procedures shall be posted in all
notice boards provided for work groups and in all work areas where possible, including site
offices and accommodation camps.
3.3
Conducting Heat Stress Emergency Drills
A heat stress emergency drill shall be conducted at least every month during hot seasons of
the kingdom (from May to September).
Drill scenarios shall be made written and submitted to PMCM for information and
comments prior to actual drills.
3.4
Common ailments resulting from Heat Stress
Worker must be oriented and informed of the common ailments resulting from Heat Stress,
as follows:
Heat Stroke
Potential fatal of all heat stress conditions. Its symptoms include red hot dry skin,
headache, and dizziness, becoming weak, confused, and upset.
Heat Exhaustion
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The body's cooling system is not working properly. The victim will sweat heavily, and his
skin will be cool and moist. They will tend to be tired, confused, clumsy and irritable.
Heat Cramps
Painful muscle cramps caused by a loss of body salt through excessive sweating.
Dehydration
Extreme loss of body fluid from excessive sweating. Dehydration can be fatal due to the
breakdown of body system.
4 Work Environment Provisions for Hot Climate
Project management shall ensure that sufficient resting shades are provided to its workers during
hot climate. Supervisors shall be advised as to the appropriate rotation of workers for rest periods
to limit the heat exposure of the workers.
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Resting shades shall be made of scaffold tubes and components with provisions of
timbers for seats and roofing, the structure to be covered by filter screen/net.
The resting shades may be designed to be transferable from area to area, with other
structures made for areas with personnel staying for longer periods. These shades shall
be made ready prior to personnel starting work on-site during hot weather conditions.
These resting shades shall be strategically positioned where practicable, and by nearest
proximity possible to a specified work group who shall be exposed to qualified hot work
environment for a period longer than 4 hours to provide rotational breaks and cooling
rest periods.
Sufficient cool drinking water shall become the main provision to employees. Drinking
stations shall be set-up as necessary and provided with disposable drinking paper cups.
Distribution of ORS to workers. The ORS composition shall be recommended by the
World Health Organization (WHO). The ORS shall be mixed with water and placed in
water igloo with proper labeling.
A designated group from project operations shall be tasked to monitor and facilitate the
provision of cool drinking water to all project field personnel.
When ventilation cannot be availed from natural breeze due to dust and other factors,
mechanical ventilators may be provided as practicable. A generator set may be
employed as practicable if utility power service is inaccessible.
5 Information of Daily Weather Advisory
The weather advisory shall be included in the daily briefing to be made by the field
superintendent or supervisor. The field foreman shall take-action to prepare against any advice of
hot weather conditions and as advice by PMCM. Weather monitoring shall be posted in Safety
bulletin board.
The monitoring of heat index will be on daily basis, every hour (during work shift). HSE
Manager should assign to update the heat index board (using suitable measuring instrument) and
the assigned personnel should communicate and share the information to all performing authority
and issuing authority of the permit to work.
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6 Reporting Heat Stress Incidents
All incidents related to heat stress shall immediately be reported to the area supervisor and to the
safety officer. Incident reporting shall follow the same procedure as specified by the MISK
PROJECT Incident Reporting Procedure.
The official incident report relating to heat stress incidents shall be submitted to PMCM.
7 Emergency Response for Heat Stress Affected Workers
7.1
Identifying and responding to a Heat-Stressed worker
A person who shows these symptoms should be moved immediately to a cool shaded area.
and be responded with the following:
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Call the HSE representative or site in-charge.
If the person is dizzy or lightheaded, lay him down on his back and raise the legs about 6
to 8 inches. If the person is sick to the stomach lay him down on his side.
Try to cool the person by fanning him. Cool the skin with a cool spray of water slightly
or a wet clean cloth.
8 Managing Heat Stress
8.1
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Guidelines to manage Heat Stress
Drink plenty of cool water. Water regulates your body temperature and prevents
overheating; the same way water absorbs the heat in a car radiator system.
Coordinate with your supervisor to give you ample rest under a shade. This is another
way of cooling down.
It is advisable to schedule heavier work to be done during the earlier hours of the
morning and the later part of the afternoon where the weather temperature is relatively
lower or cooler.
Do not wear very tight and avoid dark color clothing. Tight clothing will restrict air
circulation and dark clothes will more easily conduct heat to your skin because dark
colors absorb more heat than lighter color clothes.
8.2
Exposure to the Sun
Sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes premature aging of the skin,
wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer. There are no safe UV rays or safe suntans.
The following guidelines are given:
Be careful, especially, in the sun if you burn easily and spend a lot of time exposed to hot
climate
The following physical features are more sensitive to hot climate exposure:
o Numerous, irregular, or large moles;
o Freckled skin
o Fair skin;
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o Blond, red, or light brown hair.
Here’s how to block those harmful rays:
o Cover up but wear loose Fitting, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants
o Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 (Be sure to follow
application directions on the bottle or tube)
o Wear a hat, (for construction areas, a safety hard hat is required).
o Wear UV-absorbent safety eye protection
Limit exposure. UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
If a worker is under medication and bring his medication with him, find out from if his
medication is highly reactive to heat.
Know that equipment such as respirators or work suits can increase heat stress.
8.3
Symptoms of Heat Stress
The Heat Index chart below shall be communicated and oriented to all affected workers to
properly inform them on the danger indicators leading to heat stress. These charts, tables,
campaign posters and figures shall be posted on field notice boards:
*1 cup = 250ml
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8.4
Flag System
Use of color-coded flags shall be implemented. Flags shall be installed in rest shelter and
must be visible to nearby workers.
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o
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Red flag - for Extreme Danger
Yellow flag – Danger/Extreme Caution
Green flag – for Caution
HEAT STRESS INDEX and HEAT INDEX
Heat stress occurs when heat is absorbed from the environment faster than the body can get rid
of it. The resulting strain on the body comes from the combined contributions of the job (e.g.
work activity), environmental factors (e.g. extent of acclimatization and hydration).
The “Heat Index” has been selected to define general overall heat stress conditions for the
workforce. The heat index also known as “effective temperature”, is useful as a first order
indicator of the effect of humidity on how hot a particular exposure feels to an individual. It
includes no evaluation of the effect of either convective or radiant heat exchange and does
account air velocity which is a major factor in removing heat and water vapor by convection
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temperature. It is predictive of heat stress in circumstances in which the relationship has been
established for a particular environment.
The Heat Index indicates thermal comfort. When the relative humidity is elevated, the evaporative
process is restricted which reduces the cooling effect of perspiration. The heat index does not
consider the radiant heat load which is primarily attributed by working in direct sunlight. It also
does not consider the nature of the work (heavy manual work or light work) nor the clothing worn
by the worker.
8.5
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Key elements for controlling heat stress
Drink one glass of water every 15 to 30 minutes worked, depending on the heat and
humidity. This is the best way to replace lost body fluid.
Read medication labels to know how cause the body to react to the sun and heat.
Avoid alcohol and drugs as they can increase the effects of heat.
Build up tolerance for working in the heat. Heat tolerance is normally built up over a one
to two-week time period.
Take breaks to cool down. A 10-15minutes break every two hours is effective.
Adapt work and pace to the weather.
Provide heat stress training to workers and supervisors.
Manage work activities and match them to employees' physical condition.
Use special protective gear, such as cooling garments and cooling vests on "early entry"
workers.
Know heat stress first aid techniques.
8.6
Signs & Symptoms of Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
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8.7
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Move the victim to a cool place. Remove heavy clothing; light clothing can be left in
place.
Immediately cool the victim by any available means. Such as placing ice packs at areas
with abundant blood supply (neck, armpits, and groin). Wet towels or sheets are also
effective. The cloths should be kept wet with cool water.
To prevent hypothermia continue cooling the victim until their temperature drops to 102
degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep the victim's head and shoulders slightly elevated.
Seek medical attention immediately. All heat stroke victims need hospitalization.
Care for seizures if they occur.
Do not use aspirin or acetaminophen.
8.8
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Heat Stroke First Aid
Heat exhaustion first aid
Move the victim to a cool place.
Keep the victim lying down with legs straight and elevated 8-12 inches.
Cool the victim by applying cold packs or wet towels or cloths. Fan the victim.
Give the victim cold water if he or she is fully conscious.
If no improvement is noted within 30 minutes, seek medical attention.
9 Heat and Humidity
The combination of heat and humidity can be a serious health threat during the summer months.
Field construction workers or those working in a kitchen, and other hot environment, may be at
increased risk for heat-related illness. The following precautions should be given:
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Drink small amounts of water frequently
Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing - cotton is advised
Take frequent short breaks in cool shade
Eat smaller meals before work activity
Avoid caffeine and alcohol or large amounts of sugar
Work under the shade as much as possible
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10 Heat Stress Incident Flow Chart
11 Summary
The main idea of the heat stress management focuses on very simple concerns:
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Provide sufficient safe and cool drinking water for all personnel at risk of heat stress. All
areas shall have sufficient supply of cold drinking water along with ORS.
Workers at risk of heat stress should drink enough cool water at close intervals.
Limit the exposure of personnel to hot work environment to help avoid heat stress
Proper dress code of work personnel should be enforced
Work rotation should be planned and implemented by scheduling heavier work during
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cooler times of the day.
Appropriate emergency response should be ensured for personnel observed suffering the
symptoms of heat stress.
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