285794
Hot under the collar: An evaluation of heat illness prevention activities on a Georgia construction site
Hilarie Warren, MPH,
Ga Tech Occupational Safety and Health Program, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA
Daniel Ortiz, MPH, CSP,
Ga Tech Occupational Safety and Health Program, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA
The record-breaking temperatures and associated preventable deaths of the past two summers are a reminder of the importance of heat safety and awareness for employers, and especially those with outdoor workers in agricultural and construction trades. Common construction tasks are often highly strenuous and require additional protective gear, and frequently take place on un-shaded, open-ground jobsites, which increase the heat load and risk for employees. This session will discuss the results of on-site construction work activity evaluations conducted by the State of Georgia's OSHA Safety and Health Consultation Program during the summer of 2012, and additional recommendations for improved and feasible management strategies for preventing heat illness on construction sites. The findings of the on-site evaluations support OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Campaign to promote the development of occupational programs incorporating and supporting acclimatization periods, rest breaks, training on signs and symptoms of heat-related illness, and measurement of workload activities.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Occupational health and safety
Learning Objectives:
Describe the components of an adequate heat illness prevention program for outdoor construction workers.
Keyword(s): Construction Injuries, Occupational Safety
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal of multiple federally funded grants focusing on occupational illness prevention, and was the co-principal of the heat illness special project study for our program. I am an authorized construction OSHA outreach trainer focusing on the development of targeted materials for this high-risk workforce with over seven years experience.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
