As summer approaches, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) reminds us to be aware of workplace heat
risks. OSHA Chief David Michaels said in a June 10 media conference
that the agency's heat illness prevention advice still focuses
on three words: "Water. Rest. Shade." Michaels noted that
workers in outdoor jobs face the highest seasonal heat risks,
especially young men. "They are the ones who think they are
immortal," he said.
As such, Michaels called upon employers to allow workers time to
acclimate to hot weather. Noting, "It's very
important to allow workers to build up their heat tolerance,"
the OSHA administrator said.
A 2014 OSHA analysis of 13 heat-related fatalities for which the
agency issued citations found that four of the deaths occurred on
the worker's first day on the job and five others on the second
or third day.
