Extreme Heat at Work: How to Protect Employees and Respond to Injuries
High temperatures can create serious risks for employees, even when heat is not normally considered one of the primary hazards of their job.
Employees who work outdoors are especially vulnerable, but heat-related illnesses and injuries can occur in many other environments. Warehouses, manufacturing facilities, kitchens, loading docks and other spaces without air conditioning can quickly become dangerously hot.
Heat does more than increase the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. It can also contribute to dehydration, fatigue, reduced concentration, slower reaction times, slips, falls, strains and other workplace injuries.
Taking a few precautions before temperatures rise can help employers protect their people, maintain productivity and prevent costly workplace injuries.
Help Employees Stay Safe in the Heat
Heat safety starts with planning. Employers should evaluate which employees may be exposed to high temperatures, consider the physical demands of their work and make adjustments when conditions become dangerous.
Several simple precautions can make a meaningful difference:
Provide plenty of cool drinking water and encourage employees to drink frequently, even before they feel thirsty.
Schedule strenuous or physically demanding work during cooler parts of the day whenever possible.
Increase the frequency of rest breaks when temperatures rise.
Provide shaded, cooled or air-conditioned areas where employees can recover.
Allow new and returning employees time to gradually adjust to working in hot conditions.
Use a buddy system so employees can watch for signs of heat illness in one another.
Train supervisors and employees to recognize symptoms and respond quickly.
OSHA recommends regular access to cool water, rest and shaded or cooled areas. New and returning workers may face an increased risk because their bodies have not yet adjusted to working in hot conditions.
Know the Warning Signs
Employees and supervisors should never ignore unusual symptoms during hot weather. Warning signs of heat-related illness may include:
Heavy sweating
Muscle cramps
Headache
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Nausea or vomiting
Weakness or unusual fatigue
Irritability
Confusion
Fainting
An employee experiencing symptoms should stop working and move to a cooler area. Do not leave the employee alone because heat illness can worsen quickly.
Confusion, slurred speech, seizures or unconsciousness may indicate heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately and begin cooling the employee with cold water, ice or cold compresses while waiting for emergency responders.
Heat Can Contribute to Other Workplace Injuries
Not every heat-related incident will be recorded as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
An employee who is dehydrated, tired or having difficulty concentrating may be more likely to trip, fall, mishandle equipment or use poor lifting technique. Heat may contribute to the incident even when the resulting injury is a sprain, strain, cut or fracture.
This is why prevention and prompt reporting are both important. Employers should encourage employees to report symptoms, close calls and injuries as soon as they occur.
Employees should never feel pressure to continue working through dizziness, nausea, confusion or other possible signs of heat illness.
Report Workplace Injuries Immediately
When an employee is injured, prompt reporting helps connect the employee with appropriate medical care and allows the claims process to begin without unnecessary delays.
Our recent claim reviews have found that employees often notify a supervisor immediately, but the workers’ compensation claim is not reported until several days later. Even a short delay may complicate medical treatment, increase claim costs and increase the likelihood that an injury will result in lost work time.
Delayed reporting can also make it more difficult to investigate the incident, document what happened and develop an effective return-to-work plan.
If emergency medical care is needed, call 911 immediately.
For non-emergency workplace injuries, Retailers Insurance policyholders can contact the 24/7 Clinical Consultation Service at 866-764-7705.
A registered nurse can:
Report the claim immediately
Provide medical guidance
Help determine the appropriate level of treatment
Direct the employee to a treating facility when necessary
Give the claims team an opportunity to begin managing the claim without delay
Supervisors should keep this number readily available and make sure employees know whom to contact when an injury occurs.
Remember Michigan’s Reporting Requirements
Reporting a workers’ compensation claim does not replace an employer’s responsibility to report certain serious incidents directly to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Michigan employers must report:
A work-related fatality within eight hours
An inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours
Fatalities must be reported to MIOSHA by phone. Severe injuries can be submitted through MIOSHA’s online reporting form or reported through its Severe Injury Report Line. These are employer reporting obligations, so employers should not assume that an insurance carrier or agent has completed the required MIOSHA report.
Employers should maintain accurate records and be prepared to explain the incident, the conditions that contributed to it and the safety practices that were in place.
Prepare Before the Next Hot Day
Employers do not need to wait until an extreme heat warning is issued to begin preparing.
Review your heat safety procedures with supervisors, make sure water and cooling areas are available and confirm that employees know how to report symptoms or injuries. Managers should also know how to contact the Clinical Consultation Service and when a direct report to MIOSHA may be required.
A few minutes of preparation today may prevent an injury tomorrow. When an injury does occur, immediate reporting can make a meaningful difference for the employee and the business.
Complimentary Safety and HR Resources
Retailers Insurance policyholders also have access to a customized ResourceHUB containing more than $3,000 in annual tools and resources, including:
Workplace safety content
Online employee training
HR tools
Employee handbook builders
Required state and federal posters
Workplace forms and templates
Access is automatically included with your insurance policy.
If your original registration invitation has expired or been overlooked, reply to the email from Retailers Insurance and your agent to request a new invitation. Registration links expire after approximately 48 hours.
Companies may register an unlimited number of authorized staff members, so the invitation can also be forwarded to other employees who need access.
On behalf of Retailers Insurance and your agent, thank you for allowing us to provide your workers’ compensation coverage.