NEWS

Acclimation is Critical to Avoid Heat Illness or Injury

The first few days a worker is exposed to excessive heat are the most dangerous. Whether the extra heat is the result of seasonal changes, or the worker is new to a hot environment, it’s vital to assist each worker in acclimating to the excessive heat. Read the article published by Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace.

Texas Heat Index Turned Deadly for Postal Worker

On June 20 2023, when the temperature rose to over 110 degrees in Texas, a letter carrier succumbed to the excessive heat and died on a patron’s lawn. That broad heat wave that enveloped the Deep South in mid-June didn’t give people any time to acclimate to the hotter temperatures, and many people suffered varying degrees of heat illness. Read the article by USA Today.

OSHA's Campaign

Employers are responsible for worker safety, which includes protecting them from the dangers of excessive heat. The standard measurement is the Heat Index, which is a combination of air temperature and humidity.

Here are links to 2 pages on OSHA's website with more information on workplace safety guidelines for employers and employees.

President Biden launches plan to address extreme heat

The Federal government (through the Department of Labor Health and Human Services and OSHA) are taking on the challenge of excessive heat in the workplace and crafting new guidelines and policies to reduce workplace heat related deaths and injuries and OSHA will now include heat measurements during their work site inspections.

Read more in the press statement in the Oregonian newspaper from September 2021.