A
n employee at any company might tell his supervisor, "Hey, I'm
feeling too hot. I want to sit down and take a rest." Hopefully,
few supervisors would dismiss or deny such a request in outdoor
industries such as landscaping, agriculture and groundskeeping. A
competent supervisor shouldn't wait to be asked a direct question.
He or she should be aware of the signs of physical discomfort commonly associated
30 Landscape and Irrigation September 2014 www.landscapeirrigation.com
Understanding
Heat Illness
Prevention Laws
By Christopher Boman
Not complying with employees' right to take a "recovery period"
in the shade may land employers in legal hot water
Business Management
Management should
inform employees in
writing (with a written
acknowledgement placed
in each employee's
personnel file) of their right
to take a recovery period.
with heat exhaustion, heat stroke or other heat
illnesses. Factors that contribute to overheat-
ing include high temperatures, humidity, direct
sunlight and natural body heat from physical
activity. Dizziness, weakness, clammy skin, irrita-
bility and nausea are signs of heat exhaustion that
need immediate medical attention. Symptoms of
heat stroke include confusion, faintness and sei-
zures. Common sense, compassion, and workers'
compensation costs should make the deci-
sion to authorize time for an employee
to "cool down" automatic.
In 2010, the Occupational Safety &
Health Administration (OSHA) launched
a Heat Illness Prevention Program to
educate employers and employees on
how to recognize signs of various heat ill-
nesses and inform them of employees' heat
safety rights. While OSHA does not have a
standard for heat illness, it relies on the General
Duty Clause to cite employers who are not
Image
©istockphoto.com/oneclearvision
