The Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Heat Related
Illnesses in Construction for Safety and Health Management
Personnel
Funding Provided by: DOL-OSHA and the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s OSHA Consultation
Program
Consultation Staff: Hilarie Warren, Industrial Hygienist
Michelle Dunham, Industrial Hygienist
Daniel Ortiz, CSP, Program Manager
Industry Partner
Lisa Capicik, Regional Safety Director, BrasField & Gorrie
Purpose and Goals
The purpose of this training module is to provide a management level training program that focuses on
the recognition, evaluation and control of heat related illnesses. The heat stress recognition and
control program should be an integral part of a company’s safety and health management system and
emergency response plan. The management system provides the frame work for the design,
development, and deployment of this training program. Two other training modules were developed for
Foreman and workers with the emphasis more on the recognition of signs and symptoms and the role
they play on an effective emergency response plan.
The training material is founded on OSHA’s Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers” web
site http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html as well as a guide that was published by
CDC/NIOSH in 1986 entitled “Occupational Exposure to Hot Environments” NIOSH 86-113 found at
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/86-113/86-113.pdf. We strongly suggest that you become very familiar
with this material and use as many of the examples as you can fit into your own program that is tailored
to your needs and objectives. The resource section below also contains useful web sites and documents
that you will need as a safety and health professional who regularly assesses and evaluates worker
exposure to hot environments.
This training program is intended to be flexible from a time and topic perspective. Know your audience
and level of expertise. If you do not use or plan to use a particular measurement system on your job
site then you could omit those slides. If you use a method not mentioned in the program then create
new slides. A case in point is the use of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature method for developing work/rest
regimens. Some sites use it but others may rely on the Heat Index alone.
Seminar Objectives
Upon completion of this topic students should be able to:
1. Understand the severity of heat related illnesses and fatalities in Industry
2. OSHAs Policy on Heat Stress
3. Describe the risk factors for heat-related illness.
4. Describe the different types of heat-related illness, including how to recognize common signs
and symptoms and basic first aid
5. Describe the common control practices and methods to reduce the risk of heat related worker
illnesses and injuries.
6. Describe assessment tools used on the job site
7. Discuss the importance of acclimatization, how it is developed, and how your worksite
procedures address it.
8. Describe the procedures for responding to possible heat-related illness through an effective
safety and health management system.
Course Topics

Defining the Problem: History and OSHA Enforcement

Recognition of Heat Related Illnesses

Prevention and Control of Heat Related Illnesses

Measurement and Evaluation of Risk Factors Associated with Heat Related Disorders

Safety and Health Management System Integration
Training Resources
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
PowerPoint Presentation with instructor notes (Black and White)
LCD Projector and/or flip chart/white board
OSHA Guide for Employers Carry Out Heat Safety Training for Workers
Web sites (if available)
Exercise Handouts
FACE and Miscellaneous Materials Folder
Activities and Classroom Procedures
1. Training Techniques
a. Lecture: Present materials on PowerPoint slides
b. Browse web sites
c. Directed discussion: student involvement with different management systems
Lesson Roadmap
1. The Importance of Heat Stress Illness and Fatality Prevention in Industry
a. Slides to be used : 3-10
b. Objectives covered : 1
c. Exercise/demos : Video Clip Example Slide 11
d. Training aids : Video clip
2. OSHA Enforcement
a. Slides to be used : 11-13
b. Objectives covered : 2
c. Exercise/demos : None
d. Training aids : None
3. Recognition of Risk Factors Associated with Heat Related Illnesses
a. Slides to be used : 14-21
b. Objectives covered : 3,4
c. Exercise/demos : None
d. Training aids : None
4. Heat Related Illnesses
a. Slides to be used : 22-39
b. Objectives covered : 5
c. Exercise/demos : None
d. Training aids : None
5. Control of Risk Factors Associated with Heat Related Illnesses
a. Slides to be used: 40-56
b. Objectives covered: 5
c. Exercise/demos: Planning Ahead for Hot Weather, have individuals or groups create a
planning document (optional)
d. Training aids: None
6. Measurement and Evaluation of Heat Stress
a. Slides to be used : 57-79 and optional 113 and 114
b. Objectives covered : 6
c. Exercise/demos : Task Analysis Exercise: What is important to include in the JSA from a
heat stress control standpoint
d. Training aids: Facilitated discussion.
7. Safety and Health Management System
a. Slide to be used: 80
b. Objectives covered: 8
c. Exercise/Demos: Discussion with participants on elements of an effective system.
Demonstrate “Safety Pays” for Heat Stress
d. Training aids: Facilitated Discussion on elements OSHA e-Tool and OSHA Safety Pays
8. Heat Stress Job Site Case Study on Work Load, HI, and WBGT(Optional)
a. Slides to be used : 81-101
b. Objectives covered : all
c. Exercise/demos : Task Analysis and Heat Measurement Exercises
d. Training aids: Facilitated discussion, work shop based on examples in slides and notes
9. Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Case Study (Optional)
a. Slides to be used : 102-105
b. Objectives covered : all
c. Exercise/demos : Construction Heat Stress Fatality Case
d. Training aids: Facilitated discussion of case study slides
10. OSHA Resources, Summary, Quiz and Questions
a. Slides to be used : 106-112 and 3
b. Objectives covered : all
c. Exercise/demos : Quiz Slide 3, OSHA Heat Illness Prevention web site demo.
d. Training aids: Facilitated discussion, Quiz and wrap up
Evaluation and Assessment
a. Interactive conversations
b. Quiz from Slide 3 Before and After
Resources
ACGIH Heat Stress and Strain: TLVs Physical Agents 7th Edition Documentation
http://www.acgih.org/store/ProductDetail.cfm?id=1361
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE 50:940–950 (2007) Occupational Heat Illness in
Washington State, (provided in “FACE and Miscellaneous Materials” folder)
CDC Extreme Heat Prevention Guide
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp
CDC NIOSH 86-113 Occupational Exposures to Hot Environments
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/86-113/86-113.pdf
OSHA: A Guide for Employers to Carry-out Heat Safety Training for Workers
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/osha_heattraining_guide_0411.pdf
OSHA Heat Illness Occurrence Map
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/map_text.html
OSHA HAZWOPER Standard 29 CFR 1910.120(g)(5)(x) addresses PPE and Heat Stress.
OSHA Accident Search Engine
http://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/accidentsearch.html
OSHA Water Rest and Shade
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html
OSHA’s Safety and Health Management System e-Tool
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/safetyhealth/index.html
OSHA’s Safety Pays Program
https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypays/index.html
OSHA Technical Guide on Heat Stress
http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_4.html#4
CDC Extreme Heat Prevention Guide
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp
CDC NIOSH 86-113 Occupational Exposures to Hot Environments
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/86-113/86-113.pdf
Relevant ISO Documents
Purchase ISO Publications from:
http://webstore.ansi.org/?source=msn&adgroup=standards&keyword=iso%20standards
ISO 7243
WBGT Measurement
ISO 7933
Analytical Interpretation of Heat Stress
ISO 12894
Medical Supervision
ISO 8996-2004
Ergonomics of Thermal Environment- Determination of Metabolic
Rate
Thomas E. Bernard, Ph.D., USF, Basic Tools, Screening, and Analysis (free)
http://personal.health.usf.edu/tbernard/thermal/index.html
Thomas E. Bernard, Ph.D., ACGIH Chairman Heat Stress Update Presentation
http://www.acgih.org/tlv/04_TLV-PA-Update_AIHce06.pdf
A Guide to Preventing Heat Stress and Cold Stress pages 17-18. North Carolina DOL-OSHA.
Also found in “FACE and Miscellaneous Materials” Folder
http://www.nclabor.com/osha/etta/indguide/ig35.pdf
Dept of Army and Air Force, March 2003, Chapter 3 Heat Stress Management Tables 3.1
and 3.3 from TB Med 507/AFPAM 48-152(I) Heat Stress Control and Heat Casualty
Management
Navy OSH Heat Stress Program Presentation
http://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.med.navy.mil%2FDocu
ments%2FNaval%2520Aviation%2520Survival%2520Training%2520Program%2520SME%2520W
ebsite%2Flibrary%2FNAVOSH_heat%2520stress.ppt