New study looks at heat exposure limits to protect workers

PHOENIX — New limits for heat exposure may be needed to protect outdoor workers, a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

The study looked at 25 heat-related cases investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from 2011 to 2016.

“We looked to see what was the lowest heat index at which death happened, and where should people be warning,” said Michael Hodgson, co-author of the study and the chief medical officer at OSHA. “It turned out, in this dataset, the lowest heat index at which there was a fatality was 85 degrees.”

Hodgson said a major takeaway from this is “once it goes above 85 degrees, people are at risk of dying and you need to keep an eye on your workers.”

The current OSHA threshold for workers to be at risk of heat-related illness is 91 degrees. But the study suggested that might be too high and that a threshold of 85 degrees could be hazardous for some workers.

The study also put out a list of protective measures to prevent outdoor workers from suffering a heat-related illness. It recommended having enough cold water and electrolyte-containing beverages, as well as scheduling frequent breaks under shade or air conditioning.

Hodgson said employers should also train supervisors and workers to look for heat-related signs and symptoms.

“As heat builds up in the body, people start feeling tired and getting headaches,” he said. “They sometimes get stomach aches and they start feeling miserable.”

“That builds up to the point where their tiredness turns into acting silly and speaking non-sense,” he added. “When that happens, it is time to intervene.”

The study also recommended providing extra protection for new workers until their bodies acclimatize to the heat.

In Arizona, where temperatures top 100 degrees during the summer, taking steps to protect workers from the heat is critical.

Scottsdale-based Dr. Terry Simpson said he recommends workers wear light clothing and clothing that “wicks away moisture from your body fairly quickly.” He said drinking plenty of water and working early in the morning also helps reduce exposure to the extreme heat.

“A lot of workers in Arizona who are outside and do construction will actually start working in the summer at 3 a.m. just to avoid the worst part of the heat,” he said. “That’s a fairly smart thing to do.”

As for workers who recently moved to Arizona, Simpson said it’s important for them to get acclimated to the heat.

“Some people who move here think that they can do the same job, but it’s just not the same,” he said. “Our heat here is pretty miserable.”

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