How to Work Safely in the Earth’s Rising Temperatures
Ryan Butler, OH&S
As industrial workforces await OSHA heat standards, it’s important to get safety managers and workers up to speed on heat safety. It’s an issue that’s been around for decades, and dangerous heat now kills more Americans than any other weather-related event, but it’s only recently starting to get more attention.
Understanding heat safety starts with understanding basic heat stress physiology. The body wants to maintain its temperature where it’s most comfortable and works most efficiently. This temperature is typically around 97.9 to 98.8 degrees Fahrenheit (about 36.6 to 37.1 degrees Celsius). The two main ways the body keeps itself in this narrow range is through shivering to increase heat production or losing heat through an increase in sweating and blood flow to the skin.