Summer 2024 was the hottest on record—and most of the United States grappled with dangerously high temperatures throughout July and August.
The country has cooled down since then. But this summer’s extreme heat was a warning sign. Earth is only getting hotter, and we’re likely to see increasingly dangerous temperatures that could put your employees at risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or worse.
OSHA’s proposed heat safety rule was designed with this new normal in mind. It aims to protect workers from heat-related illnesses and injuries by establishing formal regulations on workplace safety.
While the rule itself isn’t finalized, safety professionals should interpret it as a call to action when it comes to climate-related safety training and heat illness prevention. In this piece, I’ll share three ways to make heat safety a priority at your organization. But first, let’s look at what makes extreme heat so dangerous in the workplace.
Background: What creates heat illness risk in the workplace?
High outdoor temperatures are often hazardous. If your team works outdoors (like on a construction site), a 95- or 100-degree day can dramatically increase the risk of heat-related illness.
But extreme heat can also affect workers indoors, especially in environments with specific features, appliances, and safety requirements. Consider, for instance:
- Warehouses and manufacturing floors. Large, unventilated spaces with heat-generating equipment increase the likelihood of heat stress.
- Industrial machinery. Boilers, furnaces, and heavy-duty equipment generate a lot of heat. This can create hazardous conditions on a particularly hot day.
- Kitchens. Multiple heat-generating appliances in confined spaces can elevate temperatures to dangerous levels for workers.
- HVAC systems. Although they’re designed to help cool spaces, these can underperform on extremely hot days. And outdated or poorly maintained systems might break down altogether, stripping workers of any relief from the heat.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE). Restrictive PPE, like paint suits, can exacerbate heat stress in already hot conditions.
With these hidden hazards in mind, what can safety professionals do to keep workers safe? More on that in the next section.
Understand the 3 Ps: Plan, Prepare, Practice
When it comes to heat safety, the “Three Ps” framework is one of the most powerful tools in your toolkit. Here’s the breakdown:
- Plan: The first step is acknowledging that heat waves are an inevitable part of our climate reality—and rising temperatures will only make them more likely. But with the help of mobile tools like the NIOSH/OSHA Heat Index app, you can quickly assess daily heat risks and adapt site-specific protocols accordingly.
- Prepare: Once OSHA’s proposed rule is formalized, it’s likely that employers will have strict expectations to prevent heat illness in the workplace. Some states (like California and Washington) already expect employers to provide shaded rest areas, access to water, and annual heat safety training. Prudent organizations will stay ahead of the curve by implementing similar measures before new regulations take effect.
- Practice: The first time you practice heat safety measures shouldn’t be on a 100-degree day. It’s important to regularly conduct safety drills during the cooler months so all employees understand their role in incident prevention. For example, they should know who is responsible for monitoring weather conditions, how to access safety equipment, and how to recognize the signs of heat-related illnesses.
Together, the Three Ps can help you maintain a safe workplace and avoid preventable incidents.
Equip employees with emergency kits
When temperatures start to soar, having a well-stocked emergency kit on hand can be a crucial lifeline. It can help workers quickly respond to signs of heat-related illness before they get serious.
Not sure what should go in an emergency kit? At a minimum, make sure to include…
- Water and electrolyte tablets.
- Cooling towels.
- Instant ice packs.
- Basic first aid supplies (e.g., bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, etc.).
- Sunscreen.
- Emergency contact information (ideally on a laminated card that includes important emergency and company phone numbers).
Make sure every employee knows where to find an emergency kit on a moment’s notice—the last thing you want is to go hunting for one in the middle of a crisis.
It’s also helpful to have mobile safety apps handy. For instance, if an employee sees a coworker pass out due to heat stroke, they can immediately call medical personnel and notify a supervisor via the app. This rapid response can make all the difference in managing heat-related emergencies effectively. And it can help you maintain accurate records of all safety incidents.
Conduct frequent test drills for heat safety
We mentioned that “practice” is one of the Three Ps. But it’s so important that it bears repeating. That’s because employees can’t afford to waste time figuring out how to respond to extreme weather events. If a safety incident arises, the next steps should be practically automatic.
Mobile safety apps can help you train your workforce on safety best practices in a climate-related emergency. You can break up lessons into chunks to boost information retention. Then, you can pair that training with in-person drills to show how to manage emergency situations step by step.
An added benefit of mobile safety tech? You can quickly see how many training modules each employee has completed. This way, it’s easy to monitor your workforce’s safety knowledge and ensure everyone gets up to speed.
Extreme weather safety protects your team and your bottom line
While the record-breaking summer heat may be behind us for now, extreme weather events happen year-round. And they aren’t going anywhere. In fact, we’re likely to see them encroach further on traditionally insulated areas, as Hurricane Helene just showed us throughout Appalachia.
For safety professionals, there’s a clear takeaway: it’s time to double down on extreme weather safety. And it’ll take a year-round effort to protect workers from environmental hazards. With a proactive approach, though, you can boost your team’s resilience—and your company’s—in the face of practically any environmental hazard.
Zach Pucillo is EHS compliance manager for KPA, where he researches and interprets existing and new regulations related to general industry.