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    Heat Stress: Dr. Lim Jac Fang Occupational & Environmental Health Department of Health, Sabah

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    Alexander Klm
    This document discusses heat stress and provides information on its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. It defines heat stress as occurring when the body's cooling system is overwhelmed by heat from the environment combined with other stresses like hard work. Left untreated, heat stress can lead to heat-related illnesses and even death. The document outlines steps workplaces can take to control heat stress through engineering controls of the work environment, administrative policies around work schedules and breaks, and use of personal protective equipment by workers.

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    Heat Stress: Dr. Lim Jac Fang Occupational & Environmental Health Department of Health, Sabah

    Uploaded by

    Alexander Klm
    72 views25 pages
    This document discusses heat stress and provides information on its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. It defines heat stress as occurring when the body's cooling system is overwhelmed by heat from the environment combined with other stresses like hard work. Left untreated, heat stress can lead to heat-related illnesses and even death. The document outlines steps workplaces can take to control heat stress through engineering controls of the work environment, administrative policies around work schedules and breaks, and use of personal protective equipment by workers.

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    HSE presentation

    Original Title

    Stress Heat

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    This document discusses heat stress and provides information on its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. It defines heat stress as occurring when the body's cooling system is overwhelmed by heat from the environment combined with other stresses like hard work. Left untreated, heat stress can lead to heat-related illnesses and even death. The document outlines steps workplaces can take to control heat stress through engineering controls of the work environment, administrative policies around work schedules and breaks, and use of personal protective equipment by workers.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    72 views25 pages

    Heat Stress: Dr. Lim Jac Fang Occupational & Environmental Health Department of Health, Sabah

    Uploaded by

    Alexander Klm
    This document discusses heat stress and provides information on its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. It defines heat stress as occurring when the body's cooling system is overwhelmed by heat from the environment combined with other stresses like hard work. Left untreated, heat stress can lead to heat-related illnesses and even death. The document outlines steps workplaces can take to control heat stress through engineering controls of the work environment, administrative policies around work schedules and breaks, and use of personal protective equipment by workers.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 25

    Heat Stress

    Dr. Lim Jac Fang


    Occupational & Environmental Health
    Department of Health, Sabah
    What Is Heat Stress?
    Working or playing where it is hot puts stress
    on our body's cooling system.
    When the heat is combined with other
    stresses such as hard physical work, loss of
    fluids, fatigue or some medical conditions, it
    may lead to heat-related illness, disability and
    even death.
    This can happen to anybody--even if you are
    young and fit.
    Heat stress is usually a concern in the tropics.
    This is especially true in Malaysia, when
    people are frequently exposed to the heat.
    How We Cope With Heat
    Your body is always generating heat and
    passing it to the environment.
    The harder your body is working, the more
    heat it has to lose.
    When the environment is hot or humid or has
    a source of radiant heat (for example, a
    furnace or the sun), your body must work
    harder to get rid of its heat.
    If the air is moving (for example, from fans)
    and it is cooler than your body, it is easier for
    your body to pass heat to the environment.
    Workers over 40 should be more careful
    because of a reduced ability to sweat.
    Controlling Heat Stress
    Acclimatization
    The longer you do hard work in the heat the
    better your body becomes at keeping cool.
    If you are not used to working in the heat
    then you must take a week or two to get
    acclimatized or used to the heat.
    If you were ill or away from work for a week
    or so you can lose your acclimatization.
    There are two ways to acclimatize:
    1. If you are experienced on the job, limit your
    time in the hot environment to 50% of the
    shift on the first day and 80% on the
    second day.
     You can work a full shift the third day.
     If you are not experienced on the job (for
    example, a new worker) you should start
    off spending 20% of the time in the hot
    environment on the first day and increase
    your time by 20% each following day.
    2. Instead of reducing the exposure times to
    the hot job, you can become acclimatized
    by reducing the physical demands of the job
    for a week or two.
    If you have health problems or are not in
    good physical condition, you may need longer
    periods of acclimatization.
    Hot spells in tropical countries like Malaysia
    last long enough to allow acclimatization.
    When it is hot, consider some of the following
    engineering and administrative controls.
    Heat Stress Hazards
    Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention
    Heat Hot humid Red bumpy rash Change into dry clothes Wash regularly to keep
    Rash environment; with severe itching. and avoid hot skin clean and dry.
    plugged sweat environments. Rinse
    glands. skin with cool water.

    Sunbu Too much Red, painful, or If the skin blisters, seek Work in the shade:
    rn exposure to the blistering and medical aid. Use skin cover skin with
    sun. peeling skin. lotions (avoid topical clothing; wear suntan
    anaesthetics) and work lotions with a sun
    in the shade. protection factor of at
    least 15. People with
    fair skin should be
    especially cautious.
    Heat Cramps

    Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention


    Heavy sweating Painful cramps in Move to a cool area; When working in the
    drains a person's body arms, legs or stomach loosen clothing and heat, workers should
    of salt, which cannot which occur suddenly drink cool salted put salt on their food
    be replaced just by at work or later at water ( 1 tsp. salt per (if on a low-salt diet,
    drinking water. home. gallon of water) or this should be
    Cramps are serious commercial fluid discussed with a
    because they can be a replacement beverage. doctor). This will give
    warning of other more If the cramps are the body all the salt it
    dangerous heat- severe or don't go needs; don't take salt
    induced illnesses. away, seek medical tablets.
    aid.
    Fainting

    Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention


    Not enough blood Sudden fainting after at Fainting may be due to Reduce activity levels
    flowing to the head, least two hours of a heart attack or other and/or heat exposure.
    causing loss of work; cool moist skin; illness. GET Drink fluids regularly.
    consciousness. weak pulse. MEDICAL Workers should check
    ATTENTION. Assess on each other to help
    need for CPR. spot the symptoms
    Move to a cool area; which often precede
    loosen clothing; make heat stroke.
    person lie down; and if
    the person is
    conscious, offer sips of
    cool water.
    Heat Exhaustion

    Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention


    Inadequate salt and Heavy sweating; cool GET MEDICAL AID. Reduce activity levels
    water intake causes a moist skin; body This condition can lead and/or heat exposure.
    person's body's cooling temperature over 38oC; to heat stroke, which Drink fluids regularly.
    system to start to break weak pulse; normal or can kill. Move the Workers should check
    down. low blood pressure; person to a cool shaded on each other to help
    person is tired, weak, areas; loosen or remove spot the symptoms
    clumsy, upset or excess clothing; which often precede
    confused; is very provide cool water to heat stroke.
    thirsty; or is panting or drink (salted if
    breathing rapidly, possible); fan and spray
    vision may be blurred. with cool water.
    Heat Stroke

    Cause Symptoms Treatment Prevention


    If a person's body has High body temperature CALL AMBULANCE. Reduce activity levels
    used up all its water (over 41oC) and any This condition can kill and/or heat exposure.
    and salt, it will stop one of the following: a person quickly. Drink fluids regularly.
    sweating. This can the person is weak, Remove excess Workers should check
    cause body temperature confused, upset or clothing; fan and spray on each other to help
    to rise. acting strangely; has the person with cool spot the symptoms
    hot, dry, red skin; a fast water; offer sips of cool which often precede
    pulse; a headache or water if the person is heat stroke.
    dizziness. In later conscious.
    stages, a person may
    pass out and have
    convulsions.
    Modifying Work and the
    Environment
    Management and the Joint Health and Safety
    Committee can reduce heat stress in the
    following ways:
    Engineering Controls
    Control the heat at source through the use of
    insulating and reflective barriers (insulate
    furnace walls).
    Exhaust hot air and steam produced by
    specific operations.
    Reduce the temperature and humidity
    through air cooling.
    Provide air-conditioned rest areas.
    Increase air movement if temperature is less
    than 35°C (fans).
    Reduce physical demands of work task
    through mechanical assistance (hoists, lift-
    tables, etc.).
    Administrative Controls
    Health and safety committees should assess
    the demands of all jobs and have monitoring
    and control strategies in place for hot days.
    Increase the frequency and length of rest
    breaks.
    Schedule hot jobs to cooler times of the day.
    Provide cool drinking water near workers and
    remind them to drink a cup every 20 minutes
    or so.
    Workers should salt their food well,
    particularly while they are acclimatizing to a
    hot job (workers with a low salt diet should
    discuss this with their doctor).
    Assign additional workers or slow down work
    pace.
    Make sure everyone is properly acclimatized.
    Train workers to recognize the signs and
    symptoms of heat stress and start a 'buddy
    system' since people are not likely to notice
    their own symptoms.
    Pregnant workers and workers with a medical
    condition should discuss working in the heat
    with their doctor.
    Personal Protective
    Equipment
    Light clothing should be worn to allow free air
    movement and sweat evaporation.
    Outside, wear light-coloured clothing.
    In a high radiant heat situation, reflective
    clothing may help.
    For very hot environments, air, water or ice-
    cooled insulated clothing should be
    considered.
    Vapour barrier clothing, such as acid suits,
    greatly increases the amount of heat stress
    on the body, and extra caution is necessary.
    Threshold Limit Values for Heat Stress
    published by the American Conference
    of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
    used as reference.
    These values are based on preventing
    fit, acclimatized workers' core
    temperatures from rising above 38oC.
    Examples of Permissible Heat Exposure Threshold Limit Values

    Work – Rest Regimen Work Load


    (per hour)
    Light Moderate Heavy

    Temperature in Degrees C and (F)

    Continuous Work 30.0 (86) 26.7 (80) 25.0 (77)

    75%Work – 25%Rest 30.6 (87) 28.0 (82) 25.9 (78)

    50%Work – 50%Rest 31.4 (89) 29.4 (85) 27.9 (82)

    25%Work – 75%Rest 32.2 (90) 31.1 (88) 30.0 (86)


    Thank You!

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