Summer heat can lead to injury, death
Today’s heat index got as high as 98 degrees, which means those who regularly work outside need to make sure they are taking necessary precautions.
In the summer of 2016 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted more than 200 nationwide inspections that were heat-related. Thirteen of them were fatalities.
Assistant Chief of Boone County Fire District Gale Blomenkamp says it’s normal for it to get dangerously hot in mid-Missouri, and there are simple ways to avoid heat-related injury and illness.
“The secret for people when they’re working out in this heat is they need to take frequent breaks, drink lots of clear fluids, and eat very light meals,” says Blomenkamp, “Because when your body is trying to digest food it increases your metabolism rate which increases your internal body temperatures.”
Per OSHA standards, employers should make sure that all employees obtain necessary precautions to avoid heat-related problems, even if the employee is responsible for providing them.
Here are the link’s to the OSHA standards for heat exposure while working, as well as the site for reporting violations.
Occupational Heat Exposure standards:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/standards.html
To file a complaint with an employer:
