VOL9/NO3/SUMMER 2022 HEAT SAFETY TimTheBarberStory p. 12
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OSHA8 Takes Action to Combat Heat Illness By Inanje Mintz, Public Health Educator, Occupational Safety and Health A12LifeCut Short by Heat: The Tim Barber Story By Kerri Usher, Editor of the Leader Magazine and Communications & Outreach Manager of VPPPA If16YouCan’t Stand the Heat… Prevent, Protect, and Acclimatize By Matt Stinchfield, Safety BrewersAmbassador,Association onOSHA’sTechnologyHow22WearableAddressesEmphasisHeatIllness By Tom West, SPHR, SHRMSCP, COSS 824Things to Address in Your Heat Injury and PreventionIllness Program By Beth Angus, Industrial Hygienist at Safex Turning28 Up the Heat: Urgency is Building to Act on Heat Stress By Nicole Randall, International Safety Equipment Association Are32You Prepared for Heat Stress Season? By Melissa Smith, CIH, CHMM, MPH, STS 34 Heat Stress Identification and Control Options By Brian H. Petersen, CIH, CSP The38Importance of Quality Cooling Products By John Heniff, Safety Writer for Magid CONTENTSFEATURES VOL 9 | NO 3 | SUMMER 2022 29 Infographic Corner 40 Membership Corner 42 Ad Index SECTIONS 4 Message from the Chairperson 6 Women in Safety COLUMNS 8 Disclaimer: The opinions, viewpoints, and beliefs expressed by the authors in this issue do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints, and beliefs of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association or the Leader magazine. DID YOU KNOW? UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. 3vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
ChairpersonHelloVPPCommunity,
A Message From the VPPPA
Chris Williams started July 1 and hit the ground running. Chris is an accomplished Certified Association Executive (CAE) with over 20 years of association experience. He is a former Executive Director of the National Child Support Enforcement Association.
—Terry Schulte, Chairman—National VPPPA Board of Directors We are better together!
The VPP Community is, as always, ready to support those striving to improve their safety systems.
4 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
A s we enjoy summer and all it has to offer, we should not forget about the silent killer of heat stress. There were 1,577 heat-related deaths last year, causing a 56% increase since 20181. We know VPP Star sites, SHARP Alliance sites, and all safety professionals have plans in place to address this serious issue. We hope you find this special Heat Stress edition of the Leader helpful to your existing heat stress program. If the VPPPA can be of any assistance in supporting your heat stress program or any other program, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
The VPP Community is, as always, ready to support those striving to improve their safety systems. They are a great community of talented and respectful professionals always looking at ways to improve. In line with this philosophy, the VPPPA has hired an Executive Director to better serve you.
1 Maggie Davis, (Jun 6, 2022), Heat-Related Deaths Up 56% Between 2018 and 2021, Provisional Data Shows—ValuePenguin
A s the number of women in forceconstructionthelaborrises,jumping from 9% in 2019 to 10.9% in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of women in Environmental, Safety, and Health careers is also trending up, comprising 25% of the sector’s workforce. Historically, the stark minority across the industry, women have had to combat discrimination and hardship in order to make space for themselves at the proverbial table, and not only in the form of enduring blatant harassment or male chauvinism.5 From the design of tools to facilities and hygiene access, women have an uphill battle when it comes to performing in the field, right down to properly designed clothing and PPE.1,2,3,4 It is an exceptional challenge for women to find appropriately sturdy and well-fitting options across the whole spectrum of PPE and workwear; including pants, boots, gloves, vests, eyewear, and respiratory protection. I have encountered this challenge on multiple occasions; one example being having to size up sometimes two sizes in my safety vest in the field just so I can zip it over my hips. What I’m left VPPPA WomenPresents…inSafety
The Need is Real Impacts of ill-fitting PPE are multifaceted. Studies show that poorly-fitted garments can have a negative psychological impact on the wearer, leading to decreased confidence and overall performance.6,7 Wearing bulky, loose, or ill-proportioned PPE can make women feel unsafe in their safety gear. The more a woman thinks about not being able to grip something with their bulky gloves or trying not to trip because their boots are too large or wide, the less they can focus on their work, productivity, and safety. Diminished performance can lead to self-doubt and even skepticism from others about the woman’s competence and abilities on the job. Building on these negative psychosocial impacts, the far more immediate issue is the physical danger that arises when women wear PPE that is not designed for them. They may grapple with gaps, bulges and a poor overall fit that make PPE uncomfortable, reduce its effectiveness, and increase the risks that women will modify
Manufacturers employ a marketing scheme referred to as “shrink it and pink it,” taking garments that were designed for the “average sized man,” shrinking it down, making it pink, and calling it “women’s clothing.”
6 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
While the safety industry is still a theidentifyyear.womenindustry,male-dominatedthenumberofisincreasingeachIt’simportanttoandcommunicateissuesthatwomenface.Ineachissueofthe
Leader, we will be including an article from a prominent woman working in the safety and health industry. If you, or someone you know, would like to write for this column, please contact VPPPA at vpppa.orgcommunications@ to deal with is constricted movement in the hips and stomach area, making it uncomfortable and awkward to squat down or bend over, and excessive gapping in the shoulders and chest that poses a hazard of getting caught on things as I move through a worksite. In a day and age where endless kinesthetic data, engineering tools, and manufacturing avenues are available, and with a social climate demanding equality, it seems counterintuitive that employers and suppliers alike are not cornering the market for this need.
Women in Safety By Kara Apperson Raising
forWearingImpactsA-WEAR-ness:ofWomenPPEDesignedMen
3 Lynch v. Freeman, 817 F. 2d 380,382 (6th Cir. 1987).
The more a woman thinks about not being able to grip something with their bulky gloves or trying not to trip because their boots are too large or wide, the less they can focus on their work, productivity, and safety.DIDYOU KNOW? Adult men are 3x more likely to get a heat disorder than women.
8 Metea, Rachel. “In the Most Dangerous Jobs, Women Left Unprotected by a PPE Industry Tailored to Men.” Wordpress.com, 22 Mar. 2022, professionals-fail-to-protect-women/https://rachelmetea.wordpress.com/2017/12/04/occupational-safety-
7vpppa.org Leader—Summer
1 "Personal Protective Clothing/Equipment Sizing and Fit Practices." Unpublished Report Submitted to NIOSH by International Personnel Protection, June 15, 1996. 2 Gordon, C.C., Accommodation of Females in Protective Clothing and Equipment Systems Used Primarily by Men. Presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association, Atlanta, May 1996.
4 Morse, L.H. and Hinds, L.T. "Women and Ergonomics," Occupational Medicine: State of the Art Reviews, Philadelphia, Hanley & Belfus, 8(4), Oct.-Dec., 1993. 5 Navarro-Astor, E., Román-Onsalo, M., & Infante-Perea, M. (2017). Women’s career development in the construction industry across 15 years: Main barriers. Journal of Engineering Design and Technology, 15(2), 199–221. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-07-2016-0046
Many of the size, style, and cut options for PPE on the market available to women are not rooted in science. Manufacturers employ a marketing scheme referred to as “shrink it and pink it,” taking garments that were designed for the “average sized man,” shrinking it down, making it pink, and calling it “women’s clothing.”9 This approach misses the mark. Regardless of weight or height, women are fundamentally different from men on an anatomical level, generally having narrower facial features and shoulders, less dense and smaller bone structure, wider hips, more slender hands and feet, and a lower center of gravity with different kinesiological functionality and anthropometric proportions. Merely shrinking men’s PPE down to smaller sizes without adjusting the proportions is not the Unfortunately,answer. with complex problems come complex solutions. Though the issue of poorly-fitting PPE for women has been well documented for decades, research on optimum performance design of PPE specifically for women is glaringly limited.8 The cost of manufacturing PPE with scientifically backed womencentered customizations and standardized sizing specifications, as well as offering a larger range of sizing and fit options, are all common barriers that must be addressed by suppliers and purchasing entities. Hope on the Horizon Though there is a long road ahead to make well-fitting PPE designed for women more prevalent and accessible, there are companies doing the work to make this an everyday reality. Entrepreneurs like Sarah Calhoun, founder of Red Ants Pants and Ana Kraft, founder and CEO of Xena Workwear, are two examples of women who own companies that specialize in workwear designed for women. Additionally, some big-name brands and suppliers, like Honeywell and Fastenal, are also putting more capital into designed-for-women PPE that will make it easier for women in the field to focus on their work rather than ill-fitting PPE and the hazards it can pose and help to ensure they remain productive and safe colleagues on the worksite.
6 Wagner, Heidi, et al. “Relationship between Personal Protective Equipment, Self-Efficacy, and Job Satisfaction of Women in the Building Trades.” ASCE Library, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 16 May 2013, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.19437862.0000739 7 Shuster, Melissa P. “The Physical and Psychological Stresses of Women in Firefighting.” IOS Pres Content Library, 2000, https://content.iospress. com/articles/work/wor00106
9 "shrink it and pink it." Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. 2015. Farlex, Inc 9 Jun. 2022 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/shrink+it+and+pink+it
Kara Apperson has a background in public health with over 10 years of combined experience in healthcare and occupational health and safety data analytics. She has a passion for education and training as well as creating unique ways to build the safety culture across the projects she is a part of. When she isn't crunching numbers or analyzing trends, you can find her outside doing just about anything with her dog, Koda, from hiking and camping to paddleboarding on the lake. 2022
ENDNOTES
their equipment or sustain a workplace injury. It's not just the injured person who suffers in a workplace incident; employers also face potential for high financial costs related to compensation claims as well as lost time and productivity that may impact their bottom line. Studies show that poorly fitted garments can have a towearer,impactpsychologicalnegativeontheleadingdecreased confidence and RepresentationObstaclesperformance.overallto
ActionTakesOSHA
IllnessHeatCombatto 8 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
By Inanje Mintz, Public Health Educator, Occupational Safety and Health
Heat PreventionIllnessCampaign
OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention campaign, launched in 2011, educates employers and workers on the dangers of working in the heat. The campaign provides several educational resources and outreach materials to protect workers from heat, including a poster, work pamphlet, audio and video public service announcements, infographics, and the video remembering Tim Barber. These resources also include topics on heatrelated illness prevention, such as acclimatization, first aid, emergency response, and workers’ rights.
OTimRememberingBarber
On October 27, 2021, OSHA published in the Federal Register an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings. The ANPRM initiated a public comment period allowing OSHA to gather information, diverse perspectives, and technical expertise on issues that might be considered in developing
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings
9vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
n July 7, 2020, Tim Barber was working as a laborer at a construction site in upstate New York when he was overcome by heat. The 35-yearold collapsed and died of heat illness later that day. It was his second day of work. Tim was an accomplished artist who loved country music, the Buffalo Bills, and most of all—his family. His loss leaves a hole in the lives of members of his family and community, but his legacy lives on. Tim didn’t have to lose his life to heat illness. This tragedy was preventable. (Learn more about Tim’s story on pages 12-15.)
Heat Safety Is a Priority On average, approximately 3,500 workers become sick from occupational heat exposure every year and dozens of cases are fatal. Heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related phenomena. Heat illnesses— such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion—can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition. Workers in agriculture and construction are at the highest risk, but the problem affects all workers exposed to heat, including indoor workers without adequate climatecontrolled thedisproportionatelyWorkersenvironments.ofcolormakeuppopulationofemployees in essential jobs who are exposed to high levels of heat, which exacerbates socioeconomic and racial inequalities in the U.S. Protecting workers from heat-related hazards is a top priority for OSHA. The agency is taking several actions to prevent and reduce the number of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused by exposure to heat so that the avoidable tragedy the Barber family experienced doesn’t have to happen to another family.
OSHA'sgraphicsdownloadablecourtesyofHeatCampaign www.osha.gov/heat
a heat-specific workplace standard that will more effectively protect workers from hazardous heat. There were more than 100 questions to which OSHA sought input, including topics on the scope of a potential standard, heat stress thresholds for workers across industries, heat acclimatization planning, heat exposure monitoring, and engineering controls. The comment period closed in January 2022 and OSHA is analyzing more than 1,000 comments.
In April 2022, OSHA launched the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Outdoor and Indoor Heat Hazards to protect workers from the increasing threat of heat-related illness. The NEP establishes a nationwide enforcement mechanism for the agency to proactively inspect workplaces for outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards in general industry, maritime, construction, and agriculture. As a result, OSHA can now conduct pre-planned inspections in targeted high-risk industries in indoor and outdoor work settings when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. The NEP encourages employers to protect workers from heat hazards by providing access to water, rest, shade, and training, and implementing acclimatization procedures for new or returning employees. The NEP combines enforcement, outreach, and technical compliance assistance components to help keep workers safe from heat-related hazards on the job. Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Work Group of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health As part of OSHA’s rulemaking and outreach efforts to protect workers and communities from extreme heat, the agency established a Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Work Group of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Free
National Emphasis Program on Outdoor and Indoor Heat Hazards
Workers of color disproportionately make up the population of employees in essential jobs who are exposed to high levels of heat, which exacerbates socioeconomic and racial inequalities in the U.S.
10 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
Visit www.osha.gov/heat for more
On May 3, 2022, OSHA hosted a public stakeholder meeting on the agency’s activities to protect workers from heatrelated hazards. More than 2,000 attendees joined the meeting, which featured dozens of public commenters and presentations from OSHA staff on the Heat Illness Prevention Campaign, compliance assistance activities, enforcement efforts, and the rulemaking process. Let’s Work Together to Prevent Heat Illness No one should lose their life from excessive heat conditions while on the job. Every worker deserves to go home safe and unharmed at the end of every shift. OSHA is taking several steps to prevent heat illness, but we cannot do it alone. Working together with businesses, government and non-government entities, unions, and organizations,communitytheagency can ensure workers know their rights and employers meet their obligations to protect workers from the growing dangers of extreme heat. information.
COMMUNICATE…
The best teams so do the best GAS DETECTORS With the Ventis® Pro5 from Industrial Scientific, Mike’s teammates will know he’s entered a high H2S environment, so they can respond faster with more information—when every second counts. See it in action at VPPPA Safety + Symposium Safety and Health (NACOSH). The Work Group will evaluate OSHA's heat illness and prevention guidance materials and stakeholder input and develop recommendations on potential elements of a proposed heat injury and illness prevention standard. The Work Group’s recommendations will be submitted to the full NACOSH committee and the Secretary of Labor. Heat Forum StakeholderPublicMeeting
Email questions to OSHA at heatcampaign@osha.gov. RESOURCES • NEP: www.osha.gov/sites/ default/files/heat-nepfactsheet-en.pdf • NACOSH: illness-prevention-work-groupexposure/heat-injury-and-www.osha.gov/heat• Heat Forum: heat/stakeholdermeetingwww.osha.gov/ • Rulemaking: heat-exposure/rulemakingwww.osha.gov/ • Heat Campaign: www.osha.gov/heat • Remembering Tim Barber: watch?v=o3ULhPd0KQg&t=1swww.youtube.com/ • OSHA: video-graphicswww.osha.gov/heat/ 11vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
By Kerri Usher, Editor of the Leader Magazine and Communications & Outreach Manager of VPPPA
Tim’s father, Jim Barber, sat down with the Leader magazine to tell Tim’s story. His family hopes that by bringing awareness to the perils of heat stress that they can help to save others.
On July 7, 2020, Jim and Kathy Barber received the call that no parent ever wants to get. Their son Tim, a resident of LeRoy, New York, had collapsed at work and was being taken to the hospital.
I t was Tim’s second day of work at the Genesee River Bridge Project in Geneseo, New York. He was new to working outdoors, and unacclimatized to working in heat. Proper training and resources had not been given. Also, there was a hot and moderately humid air mass over Western New York as part of a pattern that resulted in a heat wave condition during the first week of July 2020. Tim didn’t make it to the hospital. He was treated for heat stress and heat exhaustion, but he succumbed to hyperthermia and died that afternoon. He was thirty-five years old.
THE STORY 12 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
A byCutLifeShortHeat: TIM
STORY 13vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
Leader Magazine: Tell us a little bit about Tim. Jim Barber: Tim was a graduate of LeRoy High School and Monroe Community College with a degree in fine arts. At a young age Tim exhibited a gift for drawing, and he was well known for his role in the art world. To quote Tim from a Facebook post: “When you get the opportunity to do something that you truly love, you can’t put into words how much it means to you.”
LM How was Tim acting when he got home that day?
JB Tim arrived home between 3:30–4:00 p.m. He parked behind my car in the garage. That was unusual because he always parked to the right of the garage in his spot. When he exited the car, he was sunburned, and I told him he looked like a construction worker. As he started to walk by me, I asked him where his lunch and water container were. He said he never had the lunch or water he brought with him. He was frustrated. Apparently, nobody gave him instructions on where to park, so he had to park a considerable distance from the jobsite. He’d left his lunch and water inside his car. He’d been stressed out that he might be late on his first day and didn’t go back for the lunch or Hiswater.brother Willie was sitting in the garage when Tim arrived home, and his observation of Tim as he walked by was that he looked sluggish and out of it. I told Tim to go inside and change his clothes and we could sit on the patio before dinner. Tim went in the kitchen and had a conversation with his mother. He said he didn't do flag work, but instead he was instructed to assemble guardrails in direct sunlight for the entire 8+ hour day without a lunch break. He told Kathy they didn't take lunch breaks and ate as they worked. Tim said he was tired, so Kathy told him to take a cool shower. He came out to the patio after showering but didn't say much. We had a nice dinner and Tim had three helpings, so we knew he was hungry from not having his lunch that afternoon. He went back to his room and laid on top of his bed. When we went to bed, we saw that he had fallen asleep on top of his covers, fully dressed, with the lights on. That was the last time his mother saw her son alive.
LM What happened at Tim’s job on July 7, 2020?JBJuly 7 was his second day of work. I was up early that morning and saw an empty bowl of cereal on the counter. I went out to the garage, and he was putting on his work boots. I asked why he was up earlier than his first day. He had to be in at 6 Knowinga.m. what I knew from the day before, I told him to eat his lunch and drink water. He was in a hurry. I said goodbye, he grabbed his lunch and thermos, and off he went. Kathy and I never saw him again until we identified him in the back of an ambulance at the rear of the Geneseo Firehall. LM What was the weather that day?
Tim was also an avid Buffalo Bills fan who attended one or two games per year with his friends. His playlist of songs consisted of his favorite country music artists. He liked to come home for his mother’s cooking, which was usually Italian food. For Tim, going to different state parks in the area and enjoying the scenery was his way to relax on weekends. One of four children, he loved being around his family, especially during the holidays. His nieces and nephews called him Uncle “T,” and he loved them very much. He was a hard worker who was dependable and did excellent work. LM Can you tell us where he was working prior and what he was doing at that job? JB Tim worked at Knowles Precision Devices in Manlius, New York, near Syracuse, as a shipping/ warehouse clerk. For the nine years leading up to his death, Tim worked indoor jobs. In June 2020, he moved back to LeRoy to be closer to family. LM Tim got a job working on the Genesee River Bridge Project. What do you remember about his first day of work on July 6, 2020? JB It was very hot that day with the high temperature in the vicinity of 92 degrees. On his first day at this new job, he worked a full 8-hour shift in extreme heat with no heat stress training.
JB The heat index values that day were in the mid to upper 90’s. At 11:53 a.m., an “Urgent—Weather Message” was issued from the National Weather Service stating: “HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM EDT FRIDAY. IMPACTS. Hot temperatures may cause heat illness to occur. The advisory warned: expert,PREPAREDNESSPRECAUTIONARY/ACTIONS.Accordingtoameteorologicalthehightemperature was 94 degrees that day with a heat index of 95 degrees in the vicinity of the Project.
14 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
All in one highly offline-friendlyconfigurable,platform kpa.io (866) info@kpa.io356-1735
Tim took an OSHA 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health training course in 2008, twelve years before his job at the Genesee River Bridge Project. For his new job as a laborer, he attended an orientation on flagging only, which lasted less than 40 minutes. Tim was unacclimated to the heat during his first two days of employment and there were no safeguards in place to prevent against the impact of heat stress. That was one of the reasons that OSHA issued a “Serious Violation” citation against his employer.
JB Kathy and I have been advocates to bring awareness to the dangers of heat illness. We have done interviews with local newspapers and TV stations telling Tim's story, emphasizing the need for better training for workers. We want businesses to be held accountable if they don't follow OSHA's safety guidelines. OSHA asked us to be part of their 2022 National Heat Illness Campaign by doing a video. They called it: Remembering Tim: A life lost to heat illness at work. We told Tim's story and why it is so important to train workers who work in excessive heat. The OSHA Area Director out of Buffalo was also part of the video. We have been in contact with our local New York State (NYS) Assemblywoman and Congressman (at the Federal Level) to get a law enacted to protect construction workers from the dangers of working in excessive heat. There is a six-page draft to amend the NYS Labor Law done, but nothing has been approved or sent to the floor for a vote. That draft has been sitting there for over six months. We are still working with both agencies at this time. Social media has played an important part to get the message out. Organizations have used this tragic story as training exercises for their employees. It has been distributed through trade unions throughout the country and other conferences on heat illness. LM Tell us about the scholarship fund you started in Tim’s name. JB Tim’s Scholarship fund is made possible by donations given in his memory. The Tim Barber Memorial Art Scholarship is being awarded to a graduating senior, chosen by the Art Department, who is pursuing a continuation of their path in art at a two- or four-year college. We know Tim would be proud of this and it is the first of its kind at LeRoy High School. His name and passion for art will live on for many more years to come by helping someone else pursue their passion for art. We would like to thank Jim Barber and the entire Barber family for sharing Tim’s story with us.
glossary of terms According to the NIH, Hyperthermia is an abnormally high body temperature caused by a failure of the heatregulating mechanisms of the body to deal with the heat coming from the environment. Heat fatigue, heat syncope (sudden dizziness after prolonged exposure to the heat), heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are commonly known forms of hyperthermia.
Heat Wave Conditions = 3+ consecutive 90+ degree days
LM What was backgroundTim’s in terms of safety orJBtraining?
Safety Software, Training, and Reporting
Heat illness can happen to anyone. On the pages of this issue of the Leader, you will find examples of heat illness and injury, as well as solutions and steps to take to mitigate the danger of heat. Heat injury is one hundred percent preventable. To donate to the Tim Barber Memorial Art Scholarship, make checks payable to: Tim Barber Memorial Art Scholarship Mail LeRoyto:Central School Attn: District Treasurer 2-6 Trigon Park LeRoy, NY 14482
Tim did go to his car for a break from 10:30 until 11:30. Around 3 p.m. that day, Tim collapsed, and an ambulance was called. On their way to the hospital, the ambulance pulled over to work on him and he passed shortly thereafter. No Mom and Dad should ever have to go through this pain and suffering that was completely preventable.
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LM Since Tim’s death, what steps have you been taking to help others? And how is that going?
By Matt Stinchfield, Safety Ambassador, Brewers Association If You Can’t Stand Prevent,the Protect & Acclimatize 16 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
orking in a hot environment isn’t new to many industries. Think about commercial kitchens, foundries, laundries, landscaping and agriculture, and hazmat response. Workers in these industries are more familiar with heat disorders and more likely to be acclimated to hot workplaces. The range of affected workers has rapidly expanded in the last two decades, largely attributed to climate change, to include the construction trades, wildfire and natural disaster responders, hospital personnel, and manufacturing jobs in poorly maintained indoor environments. Links between race and socioeconomic status show that people of color and lower economic status are disproportionately affected by hot environments. The coinciding of Covid-19 didn’t help, as wearing cloth face coverings in hot and humid environments can cause cardiopulmonary stress.
Heat stress can result in serious harm to your body. It can magnify existing health problems, such as heart disease, asthma, and kidney disorders. It can increase the chances of a workplace accident. And unfortunately, heat disorders are legacy injuries—they leave lasting effects on the body and once experienced, individuals are more prone to having additional episodes.
W
DID YOU KNOW?
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You can still experience heat stress when you’re hydrated. Even when you have been drinking an adequate amount of water, if your body temperature rises too high, you can experience heat illness and even heat stroke. Climate change realities have shown up in so many ways. There are the anticipated environmental aspects of water shortages, wildfires, and changing growing seasons. Some of the worst changes, like sea level rise and displacement of billions of climate refugees, have yet to be fully realized. One notable symptom of the planet’s warming is the exposure of people to new extremes in temperature. At-risk persons who are very young or old are suffering more deaths due to rising temperatures.1 Workplace heath crises related to heat are on the upswing. Federal OSHA and state OSHA programs are ramping up guidance, inspection frequency, and regulations to reduce heat-related illnesses.2,3
Links between race and socioeconomic status show that people of color and lower economic status are disproportionately affected by hot environments.
The early signs of heat stress are sometimes generic, such as with fatigue and headache. These symptoms could be caused by many situations, from job stress to late night partying. But heat stress often begins with some peculiar symptoms that should raise a red flag. When these changes are noted, moving quickly to a recovery strategy will greatly reduce the chances of advancing to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat cramps are sharp, painful cramps in muscles being heavily used. These include the arms, abdomen/diaphragm,legs,and often the neck. Cramps are a direct result of dehydration and the buildup of metabolites, like lactic acid, in the muscle tissue. The remedy is to get out of the hot environment and take on ample fluids with electrolytes. Individuals may experience painful raised bumps caused by sweat pore blockage. The pores are blocked by dirt or clothing
Source: HealthJade.com
urine color chart 18 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
Heat stress is a general term for a set of conditions that can range from uncomfortable cramps or a rash to serious physiological and neurological episodes called heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heat stress usually progresses from bothersome to bad, and then to worse. If you know what early signs to look for, you can seek remedies and avoid the most serious complications.
What is Heat Stress?
Heat stress can be broken into three stages: early signs, heat exhaustion, and then heatstroke. Be cautioned, though. There are cases where an individual seemingly bypasses early signs, then goes directly to heatstroke while still sweating and collapses; the so-called “fast cooker.” Unacclimatized workers and those who are overweight or dehydrated are especially susceptible.
Early Signs
Stages of Heat Stress
fiber. This condition is called heat rash. It typically occurs where dirt accumulates, or clothes or body parts rub, such as armpits, inside elbows, in the cleavage, and in the groin. It is best to avoid heat rash by keeping these areas clean and dry. Using a cooling talcum powder can help. Dark urine and infrequent urination are another early indicator. Urine should be in a range from nearly colorless to yellow. When it becomes orange or dark amber in color, the body is operating at an extreme deficiency in water. As with heat cramps, get out of the heat and replenish fluids liberally. Color charts are available and can be posted in restrooms. (See sample chart on page 18.) For those working outside, sunburn is another early warning sign. Preventing it with skin protection is the best approach. A combination of long-sleeved clothing, a hat, and a coating of skin protection products is best. Finally, there is the peculiar symptom called heat syncope. (Syncope is pronounced SINco-pee.) This is the experience of almost blacking out, “seeing stars,” or a having a headrush. It comes from a drop in blood pressure. One of the ways the body attempts to reduce overheating is by lowering blood pressure and circulation. That is, reduce the movement of a hot solution (your blood) throughout your tissues. Inadequate blood flow in the brain causes this effect. A dizzy worker is more prone to fall or make a mistake with machinery.
Acclimatization. It may take up to two weeks to get used to a hot environment, but only a few days to lose the acclimatization. Environmental Heat Shield against radiant heat exposure and direct sunlight; adjust level of work activity, pace yourself.
Heat Exhaustion If you have missed all the early cues, or you were at high risk and moved rapidly to a worse condition, you will likely advance to heat exhaustion. The body is exhausted due to its struggle to maintain a steady coreGenerally,temperature.with heat exhaustion, the body is still readily perspiring. However, in climates with low humidity, sweat evaporates from the skin quickly. The worker may appear to be perspiring Prevention Beat the Heat with These Tips
mitigation When Heat Stress Comes Knocking
Hydration. Take frequent water breaks, every 15–20 minutes, 3–4 cups per hour; avoid diuretic liquids containing caffeine, alcohol, refined sugars; overly rehydrate after a hot workday to help get ahead on the next day. Electrolytes. Consume sports beverages or mineral supplements. Food Energy. Eat complex carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruits; avoid simple sugars. Clothing. Cover up with light, loose, quick-drying fabrics; wear a wide hat in direct sunlight.
Buddy System. Reduce exertion and keep an eye on each other for warning signs. Training. Train everyone in prevention and recognition of heat disorders. Know Your Limits. Risk increases with age, weight, body fat, drugs and certain medications, diabetes, and general sickness; adult men are three times more likely to get a heat disorder than women.
Heat Stress Prevention and Mitigation
Hydration. Replace depleted fluids with ample water and sports drinks, but don’t drink too fast. Rest Cycles. Take frequent rests, don’t be ashamed of needing to take a break. Cool Environment. Recover by sitting down in the shade or in a cool space with moving air. Monitor. Make sure you are clearheaded and not dizzy or fatigued before returning to work.
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cloths on sunburned areas or take a
Source: Heat_Related_Illness.pdfwww.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/pdf/ HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES WHAT TO LOOK FORHEAT STROKE • High body temperature (103°F or higher) • Hot, red, dry, or damp skin • Fast, strong pulse • Headache • Dizziness • Nausea • Confusion • Losing consciousness (passing out) HEAT EXHAUSTION • Heavy sweating • Cold, pale, and clammy skin • Fast, weak pulse • Nausea or vomiting • Muscle cramps • Tiredness or weakness • Dizziness • Headache • Fainting (passing out) HEAT CRAMPS • Heavy sweating during intense exercise • Muscle pain or spasms SUNBURN • Painful, red, and warm skin • Blisters on the skin HEAT RASH • Red clusters of small blisters that look like pimples on the skin (usually on the neck, chest, groin, or in elbow creases) WHAT TO DO • Call 911 right away-heat stroke is a medical emergency • Move the person to a cooler place • Help lower the person’s temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath • Do not give the person anything to drink • Move to a cool place • Loosen your clothes • Put cool, wet cloths on your body or take a cool bath • Sip water Get medical help right away if: • You are throwing up • Your symptoms get worse • Your symptoms last longer than 1 hour • Stop physical activity and move to a
bath • Put moisturizing lotion on sunburned areas • Do not break blisters • Stay in a
less than they actually are. Observing salty deposits on clothes can be a clue. Dehydration will be occurring throughout the advancement of heat exhaustion. Our bodies are batteries, and they need water and electrolytes to make energy. Notice thirst and dry mouth. It has often been said, “If you are thirsty, it’s too late.” A better refrain might be, “If you are thirsty, take a break and get extra fluids into your body.” With heavy sweating the skin will feel moist and clammy, and the pulse can be fast and weak. Breathing hard is a related symptom. Along with being out of breath, the worker may feel dizzy, weak, and fatigued. Headache, nausea, and occasional vomiting will be observed. These symptoms, taken as a whole, could be attributed to many things, like the onset of the flu, pregnancy, a hangover, or food poisoning.
diet • You have heart problems • Stay
before you do any more physical activity Get medical help right away if: • Cramps last longer than 1 hour • You’re on a
until your sunburn heals • Put
dry place • Keep the
dry • Use powder (like baby powder) to soothe the rash CS280226 20 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
of the
Preventing heat exhaustion by hydrating and acclimatizing removes one disorder from the list of possibilities. Heatstroke When the body’s cooling efforts fail, heatstroke is imminent. The core temperature will rapidly rise to that of a high fever and perspiration will cease. When this happens, heatstroke is occurring. Heatstroke is a 911 emergency. It can be quickly fatal. Do not delay in getting medical services to the scene. The treatments for heat stroke require medical expertise and should not be undertaken by those without specialized training and supplies. In heatstroke, sweating slows or stops, and the skin becomes hot and dry. The body’s internal temperature rises above 101°F and shallow breathing may be noticed. Feelings of discomfort include severe headache and nausea. A number of behavioral changes occur, including the dragging of feet, slurred speech, confusion, and poor judgment. A worker might be combative, argumentative, or cease to respond to communication altogether. Those who have suffered heat stroke may think they are speaking sensibly, when all everyone else hears is gibberish. Treatment If the victim is conscious, sweating, and fairly coherent, they likely do not have heatstroke. Heat exhaustion has three major causative factors: dehydration, low energy, and excess heat inside and outside of the body. Treatment should address all of these. Try these first aid recommendations for heat exhaustion. Seat the victim in a cool, shaded area. Get the person water or a sports beverage, and possibly an energy bar. Avoid excessively sweet drinks or snacks. Remove or pull back excess clothing and cool them with air movement, sprinkling them with cool water, or by applying ice packs to the neck or immersing wrists in ice water. If they begin to noticeably recover, continue treatment and either send them home early or keep under observation for the rest of the shift. If symptoms persist, get the person medical attention right away. It has often been said, “If you are thirsty, it’s too late.” A better refrain might be, “If you are thirsty, take a break and get extra fluids into your body.” cool away low-sodium out sun cool cool cool, rash
place • Drink water or a sports drink • Wait for cramps to go
• OSHA heat illness prevention, emphasizing acclimatization and prevention (YouTube 1:27)
2 Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “National Emphasis Program Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards.” Directive CPL 0300-024 (2021).
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JOBSITE AND TRAINING RESOURCES
CDC Posters: English (PDF); Spanish (PDF) OSHA Posters English (PDF); Spanish (PDF) Urine Color Chart (PDF) Toolbox Talks Great ready-to-use toolbox talk from Missouri Safe Work (PDF).
• Straight talk from a Texas registered nurse (YouTube 3:55).
Concise video toolbox talk with good prevention tips; sign-in sheet not included (YouTube 3:10). OSHA Quickcard (PDF). Videos Find the heat stress education that best speaks to your workforce. These helpful videos will get you started.
Prevention
3 Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.” 86 FR 59309 (2021).
• Recommendations for hydration and electrolytes (YouTube 2:14)
• Focusing on hydration (YouTube 2:39)
Matt Stinchfield is the Brewers Association’s Safety Ambassador, a facilitator in several OSHA-industry alliances, and a heat stress survivor from his years working in hazmat response and cycling in the desert Southwest. Reach him at safetyambassador@brewersassociation.org
Heat stress episodes can be treated, especially if detected early. But even in the best cases, the worker feels unwell, productivity declines, and the chance of incidents and accidents increases. The perfect conditions for creating heat stress are when three things occur simultaneously: dehydration, low bodily supplies of food energy and minerals, and exposure to increased heat. Counteracting one, two, or all three of these factors is key to reversing the progressive nature of heat disorders. Heat stress is best avoided altogether by anticipating hot work conditions and acclimatizing to heat. You should know what to do to prevent exhaustion,dehydration,andoverheating.
ENDNOTES 1 Calleja-Agius, Jean et al. “The effect of global warming on mortality.” Early human development vol. 155 (2021).
Posters
• Great prevention recommendations from an Aussie team (YouTube 3:49)
TECHNOLOGYWEARABLEHOWAddressesOSHA’sEmphasisonHeatIllness
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By Tom West, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, COSS illness and injury prevention is an ever-present challenge in many industries. Each year there are scores of fatalities, and thousands more become ill while working in heat. OSHA recently instituted a National Emphasis Program to shine a spotlight on this preventable workplace hazard.
Heat
Tom West is Vice President at MākuSafe, as well as being a Senior Certified Human Resources Professional, and a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist. MākuSafe is an award-winning Safety, Data & Analytics solution aimed at improving worker health, safety, and productivity while reducing incidents and mitigating workplace hazards and risk exposures. The patented MākuSafe system combines a robust safety analytics software platform with innovative wearable technology that provides immediate access to real-time EHS data with predictive value. MākuSafe’s wearables not only capture temperature and relative humidity, but they also deliver prompt warnings when proactive measures are needed. In addition, MākuSafe monitors numerous other environmental risks, potentially hazardous human motion such as strain and exertion concerns, enables push to talk near miss reporting, and opportunities to integrate the connected worker with systems around them for Industry 4.0 automation and efficiencies. 1 OSHA heat exposure rulemaking OSHA Heat NEP Factsheet OSHA National Heat-RelatedProgram—OutdoorEmphasisandIndoorHazards Heat Exposure website
REFERENCES
unobtrusivebeheat-inducedcanintelligence,sourcetechnologyAdvancedprovide.wearablecanbeapowerfulofleadingindicatorandatoolthathelplowertheriskofillness.Theycansimpletodeployanduse;devicesthathelp
• An average of 35 heat-related fatalities occurs annually2
A Scorching Problem
M ost all know that rest, shade, and hydration are key. Companies have likely built these heat protocols into their safety programs. Yet, many may struggle with exactly when these practices should be enacted, and for who. How much intervention is prudent? How do we ensure workers in unique environments such as indoors are protected? A more individualized approach that provides predictive leading indicators, is using wearable technology to monitor heat-related risk for every worker. This can give safety leaders the insight and focus needed to be proactive and keep their people safe.
4 OSHA
2
notifications that can be pushed to leaders whenever heat exposure corresponds to the NWS thresholds. Constant monitoring allows at-risk workers to be flagged quickly so appropriate interventions are taken. And with an entire workforce equipped with a supervisors maintain a safe worksite. Wearables are the next evolution in safety. Digital PPE, if you will. There are several emerging industrial wearable offerings. Many have a niche focus, or strength. In considering a new innovative tool there are considerations; cost, versatility, acceptance, and useability, among them. But now this technology is so accessible that organizations can easily deploy innovation and reap respectpositivelystrengthenactionableimmediatelydatathatcanasafetyprogram,impactculture,andworkerprivacy.
• The hottest years on record have been in the last 18 years1 A heat index over 80 degrees is considered a heat priority day, although heat-related incidents may occur at even lower levels. The National Weather Service (NWS) alerts using four ranges: caution, extreme caution, danger, and extreme danger. Those at most risk are likely the construction and agriculture industries. But, the current emphasis certainly implies that heat and humidity levels, as well as radiant heat sources3 , should also be a concern for indoor facilities. This means that foundries, kitchens, laundries, actionindexshouldandmanufacturingwarehousing,operations,manymoreindustriesbemonitoringheatandtakingappropriate
3. Routine readings that are time, date, and location stamped over a period can demonstrate awareness and be the basis for further study and action. Even though a small and inexpensive wearable isn’t using the wet bulb method of testing, these routine readings can provide insight into where and when more sophisticated testing might be deployed. One of the approved ways to document on-site heat conditions is with relative humidity, which a wearable can easily
• Heat waves are the top weather event that cause workplace deaths1 • Heat causes over 3,500 injuries and illnesses each year2
A wearable allows granular readings to be captured no matter where an employee is performing a task. Another benefit is that wearables will assist with compliance by providing a retrievable history of data. Inspectors are tasked with evaluating if a worksite has an appropriate injury prevention program, such as asking, “how did the employer monitor ambient temperature(s), and levels of work exertion at the worksite?”
4. Technology now makes this possible, and industrial workforce wearables offer a powerful tool across industries. NIOSH safety regulations also emphasize acclimatization for workers who are new or returning to work after vacation or leave. People need time to physiologically adjust to hot environments5. What this means is that supervisors need to be attentive to variations in heat sensitivity among their workforce. Wearables are helping bridge this gap. Wearables can aid prevention efforts Wearable technology is a gamechanger for heat injury and illness prevention. Now sensors in a lightweight armband are capable of tracking leading indicators of risk, including an array of ever-changing environmental conditions around an individual worker. By programmedworkerreadingsheattohumidity,temperaturemonitoringandrelativeitisnowpossibleautomaticallycalculatetheindexforeachworker.Theareasmobileastheis.Thesemeasurementsaretogenerate
3
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wearable, you can essentially generate a live heat map of your worksite or facility. Multiple device readings can also highlight workstations of concern. Consider that an outdoor heat index can’t capture the risk of a worker near an indoor heat source. They might also be experiencing dramatically different temperatures than someone further away—a discrepancy a stationary room sensor is unlikely to capture.
The impact of hot temperatures on safety risks has been escalating the past two decades. The trends that prompted OSHA to take action include:
By Beth atIndustrialAngus,HygienistSafex It doesn’t have to be summer to plan for OSHA’s Heat Stress goesworkplace.programIllnessaNEPtoOneinsidewhileinjuriesotherexhaustion,heataretoemployersacrosstemperatures(NEP).EmphasisNationalProgramWithaveragerisingtheworld,needensureworkersprotectedfromstroke,heatandheat-relatedandillnessesthey’reworkingandoutside.ofthebestwayspreparefortheistodevelopHeatInjuryandPreventionforyourButwhatintothatplan?TO ADDRESS IN YOUR PREVENTION PROGRAM In the last edition of The Leader, we told you about the future of OSHA’s Advance Notice of preventioninjurywe’reprevention.injuryRulemakingProposedonheatandillnessThisquarterdivingintoheatandillnessprograms. 24 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
Exposure Guidelines
Wet Bulb Glove Temperature
SurveillanceMedical
Controls Outline how you’ll use controls to minimize heat stress, and think in terms of the hierarchy of controls:
MonitoringEmployee Will you use any criteria to evaluate the effect of heat stress on your employees? Will it be based on vital signs (temperature, heart rate, etc.) or specific criteria, such as the ACGIH Heat Stress TLV guidelines? Consider the actions you’ll have to take based on employee monitoring results, including whether work will be paused or stopped, if employees will be reassigned, or if there is a threshold for medical removal.
Outline what conditions you’ll use as the criteria for enacting the elements of your plan. Some examples of conditions to consider would be the National Weather Service’s Heat Advisory or Warnings, a specific heat index, or wet bulb globe temperature. Be specific about what elements of the plan will go into effect depending on the criteria.
• Personal Equipment—WillProtectivecooling vests fit into your existing assessments? Can allowances be made for lighter, looser clothes, reflective gear, or sun Thinkhats?about how your control plan may change based on the short-term and long-term weather forecast. Strategies for a two-to-three-day heat wave may be different than long stretches of high heat days.
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Risk Assessment
• Engineering—Will you have cooling systems in place? Are there cooler areas where employees can rest?
According to the National Weather Service, the WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account: temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation). If you work or exercise in direct sunlight, this is a good element to monitor. Military agencies, OSHA, and many nations use the WBGT as a guide to managing workload in direct sunlight. This differs from the heat index.
ProgramAcclimatizationHeat
• WillElimination/Substitution—therebeathreshold when a specific process stops, or when alternate plans for the day are set in place?
Like employee monitoring, if you have an existing medical surveillance or fit for duty program, consider working in a heat stress evaluation. The evaluation should account for employees’ existing health conditions (including prescription or over-thecounter medications) that could be impacted by working in the heat or make an employee more susceptible to a heat-related illness. As with all medical surveillance programs, the employee’s personal health information is protected, and the employer should only receive a letter indicating whether the employee will be able to work and under what circumstances.
Most safety practitioners are familiar with conducting job hazard analysis and personal protective equipment (PPE) assessments. The same skillset can be applied to identifying the potential for heat stress and strain in the workplace. Consider things like PPE requirements, as extra layers may increase the heat burden, or working in proximity to heat sources such as ovens or heavy machinery.
• Administrative—How will you structure a work/rest schedule? Will you change the work schedule based on the temperature? How will water be provided?
A focus point of the new National Emphasis Program is how employers will allow new and returning workers to get used to hot working environments. Acclimatization helps employees adapt to hot working conditions and tolerate heat more effectively. OSHA recommends taking a staggered approach, with 20% per day increases for new employees and 50% per day increases for employees returning from a long absence. DID YOU KNOW? Excessive heat can exacerbate existing health problems like asthma, kidney failure, and heart disease.
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First Aid ProceduresEmergencyand Outline the first aid and emergency procedures to respond to heat illness and injuries. Identify what steps employees are authorized to take on their own and when it’s time to call emergency services. Include information about first aid kits, water and electrolyte replacement, and include emergency contact information.
Heat Index
Training Train employees about the causes of heat stress, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat illness and injury, and first aid and emergency procedures. Include provisions for initial and refresher trainings, and the criteria for when re-training is indicated.Addressing all eight components in your Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Program will help you achieve OSHA compliance and keep your employees safe and on the job.
The heat index takes into consideration temperature and humidity and is calculated for shady areas.
TLV Threshold limit value Hierarchy of Controls
ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
According to NIOSH, a hierarchy of controls is a method of controlling exposures to occupational hazards. The control methods at the top of the hierarchy are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom. Following this hierarchy normally leads to the implementation of inherently safer systems, where the risk of illness of injury has been substantially reduced.
Beth Angus, MPH, CIH, is an industrial hygiene consultant with Safex, a health, safety and environmental consulting firm in Columbus, Ohio. She knows a thing or two about heat as a former resident of Tuscan, Arizona.
Infographic Corner May 27 is Heat Safety Awareness Day. Data from the Bureau of Labor •Statistics:Everyday, in the United States, 11 onworkersaverage are seriously injured or die from heat stress • The average cost per heat prostration incident is over $53,000 • Heat illness is preventable100% July 2021 was the hottestmonth ever recorded on Earth. —NOAA Stats from OSHA: • UV rays are most intense between 10 am and 4 pm • Nearly 3 out of 4 fatalities from heat illness happen during the first week of work • Build a tolerance to heat by increasing intensity by 20% each day • Approximately 3,500 workers become sick from occupational heat exposure every year According to the CDC, on average each year in the U.S., heat is responsible for: • 67,512 departmentemergencyvisits • 9,235 hospitalizations • 702 deaths “Extreme weather cost America $99 billion in damage [in —President2020].”JoeBiden 27vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
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turningthe urgency is stressontobuildingactheat
By Nicole Randall, International Safety Equipment Association
• Minnesota: Minnesota OSHA’s heat exposure standard applies to indoor workspaces, focusing primarily on workroom ventilation and temperature. (ISEA notes that this standard’s Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reading requirement poses a challenge. It is a difficult measurement to accurately obtain and requires continuous readings in each work zone.)
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is conducting an ambient heat exposure rulemaking process, gathering information that will apply to both an emergency rule (planned for summer 2022) as well as a
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• Washington: The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries requires employers to take steps to protect employees working outdoors and in agriculture jobs from heat illness, from May 1 through September each year.
2021Bidencommunities,”disadvantagedPresidentsaidinaSeptember statement* that he was, “mobilizing an all-ofgovernment effort,” to protect vulnerable Americans. The Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) has already begun exploring regulatory action. In October 2021, OSHA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings in the Federal Register. And in April 2022, OSHA announced its National Emphasis Program to protect millions of workers from heat illness and injuries. Water, rest, and shade sound basic, but they take proper planning and management. As part of the program, OSHA plans to proactively initiate inspections in both indoor and outdoor work settings of 70+ high-risk industries when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. On days when the heat index is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, OSHA inspectors and compliance assistance specialists will engage in proactive outreach and technical assistance to help stakeholders keep workers safe on the Fourjob.states have also acted on workplace heat stress so far, although each has taken a different approach.
• 9,235 hospitalizations
Cal/OSHA updated its comprehensive heat illness prevention special emphasis program document in April 2022.
overnment awareness of, and action on, heat stress is rising fast. As National Oceanic and AdministrationAtmospheric (NOAA) Administrator, Dr. Rick Spinrad, said in his opening remarks at the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting on April 26 this year: “Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related event in the United States.” Spinrad said July 2021 was the hottest month ever recorded on Earth. Climate change projections indicate that summers will continue to get hotter—and thus potentially become more deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average each year in the U.S., heat is responsible for: • 67,512 departmentemergencyvisits
• 702 Thosedeathsinsights are sobering and serve to frame the stakes for safety professionals. The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) is especially concerned with heat stress in the workplace. Now is the time for employers in the U.S. to develop a heat stress program. Time to Act Noting that, temperatures“risingposean imminent threat to millions of American workers exposed to the elements, to kids in schools without air conditioning, to seniors in nursing homes without cooling resources, and particularly to
• California: Title 8 §3395 of the California Code of Regulations applies to outdoor places of employment in the agriculture, transportationgaslandscaping,construction,oilandextraction,andindustries.
• Oregon: In 2021, Oregon OSHA held listening sessions and stakeholder meetings to gather information and begin drafting new occupational health standards pertaining to both outdoor heat-related illness and unhealthy levels of wildfire smoke. temporary amendment to its Agricultural Labor Housing and Related Facilities regulation (437-004-1120), requiring employersagriculturaltominimize heat in worker housing units and provide heat illness educational information. (Fact sheet)
*Read
DID YOU KNOW? Excessive heat affects all workers exposed to heat, including indoor workers without climate-controlledadequateenvironments. the full message from President Biden on extreme heat available on www.whitehouse.gov.
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• The ISEA board of trustees held a high-level briefing with OSHA Administrator Douglas L. Parker. Within ISEA, workplace heat stress has become such an important and timely issue that we recently determined member companies serving that market niche should have their own product group within the Association. (ISEA product groups enable companies making and marketing the same product or products to work together on common interests and concerns.)
• Rest should suit the type of work being done. The more strenuous the work, the more breaks should be taken.
A heat stress prevention program for outdoor workers includes three key elements:
• ISEA member companies that provide cooling PPE include Ergodyne, Magid, and National Safety Apparel.
• Heat awareness training.
infographicHeatAssociation'sSafetyInternationalEquipmentStress
• Cooling PPE (when worn correctly and usage instructions are followed) can reduce the surface of the skin temperature and maintain core body temperature. (Note best practices for use of cooling PPE later in this article.)
• Making water, rest, and shade available.
• ISEA members are helping to educate employers about OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on heat stress and about available solutions.
Climate change projections indicate that summers will continue to get hotter—and thus potentially become more deadly.
• Access to water (for example, providing workers with hydration packs and water stations where workers can refill their own water bottles) is vital so workers can drink as needed. For environmental reasons, ISEA recommends against employers placing pallets of plastic water bottles at worksites.
In addition to submitting comments to OSHA:
• While work in outdoor settings sometimes means exposure to direct sunlight is unavoidable, providing a shade structure to block direct sunlight can reduce temperatures by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest breaks in vehicles are not advised unless there is always adequate space for all employees.
In January 2022, ISEA submitted comments in response to OSHA’s request for information on heat stress. We particularly focused on best practices for protecting workers from hazardous heat exposure, including: • Engineering controls (such as air conditioning or increased ventilation) to increase evaporative cooling and keep body temperatures at safe levels in indoor environments. In outdoor settings, providing shade is important to reduce heat and sun exposure.
What Employers Can Do Much of the focus on workplace heat stress has spotlighted outdoor scenarios, such as construction sites, however, it’s equally important to look at indoor work environments. Here are tips for both scenarios.
Safety IndustryEquipmentResponds
The Heat Stress Product Group will be fully operational this summer with members that manufacture equipment and products intended for both indoor and outdoor environments. The group is currently aiming to educate the workforce about the risks of heat stress. Resources and product giveaways are available at safetyequipment.org/heatstress.
• Administrative controls (such as changes to workloads or work schedules, work rest cycles, water breaks, buddy system, education on heat stress prevention) can help prevent heat illness and reduce heat exposure.
• ISEA Senior Director for Policy Daniel Glucksman testified at an OSHA hearing on heat stress. His testimony aimed to educate members of OSHA’s National Advisory Committee on Safety and Health about available types of cooling PPE.
• Some products are intended for indoor environments, while others are designed for outdoor use. ISEA is also exploring the possibility of developing a heat stress solutions standard. It would be a specification standard offering performance metrics for heat stress PPE. (For example, a particular PPE item would need to maintain a target temperature for a specific amount of time.)
Outdoor EnvironmentsWork
• Providing heat-mitigation personal protective equipment (PPE). Water, rest, and shade sound basic, but they take proper planning and management.
• The water needs to be located near the work being done and should be cold (or at least cooler than ambient air).
Risks of Inaction As OSHA explained in announcing its proposed rulemaking, “Excessive heat can cause heat stroke and even death if not treated properly. It also exacerbates existing health problems like asthma, kidney failure, and heart disease. Workers in agriculture and construction are at the highest risk, but the problem affects all workers exposed to heat, including indoor workers without adequate climatecontrolled environments.”
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along wall •Fits most extension ladders, up to 21” •Replaceablewide self-adhesive foam pad Working Concepts, Inc. 888-456-3372 • www.softknees.com • info@softknees.com Patent Pending Ladder falls –2nd leading cause of work-relatedinjuries!* * https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nioshtic-2/20034690.html 31vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
• Studies indicate cooling PPE coverage on the body is directly correlated to its effectiveness. (For example, a vest that covers the core is more effective at cooling the body than a towel or bandana on the neck.)
The extent and duration of heat will vary from region to region throughout the U.S. and around the globe. But the overall trend is upward. Workplaces, both indoor and outdoor, need to prepare now for what is likely to be a hotter future.
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and scratches to deck caused by ladder feet •Attaches to the bottom ladder rung, with adjustable
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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has assembled a robust collection of information resources on heat-related issues. States: Cal/OSHA offers comprehensive heat illness prevention information for workers and employers, as does Minnesota OSHA, Oregon OSHA, and Washington (Be Heat Smart) Nicole Randall is Director, Marketing & External Affairs, at the International Safety Equipment Association in Arlington, Virginia. from slipping slick design of foam creates tiny suction cups that grip the surface, when wet weight easy use, weighs less 6 pounds smooth plastic, wood, concrete, etc., even marring strap, ladder
• Cooling PPE should be worn on areas of the body where there are large blood vessels located near the surface of the skin (neck, arms, and core).
An indoor program needs to include temperature and workload monitoring. When the indoor temperature hits 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.6 Celsius), it’s time to make sure employees are able to takeIndoorbreaks.workers should also have access to appropriate PPE. The two main types would be cooling towels that wrap around the neck, and vented apparel. Employers must determine which types of cooling apparel work best for their environment, such as vests with built-in pouches into which frozen gel packs can be inserted, or vests that can be dunked in cold water. The aim of both types: take heat away from the body. A phase-change product should be worn in high-heat indoor settings with limited air flow (or if an impermeable suit is worn). Evaporative products are not ideal in such work environments. While a phase change vest adds weight and an additional layer, it can also help reduce or maintain the core body temperature, allowing for a safer work environment and increasedAnotherproductivity.consideration for indoor workers: uniforms. If they’re required to wear a uniform, the employer needs to be intentional about the uniform’s fabric and construction. Does it have venting? Lighter and looser fabrics are better at reducing body heat. Personal EquipmentProtective(PPE) Regardless of whether the work is outdoors or indoors, cooling PPE, when worn correctly and when use instructions are followed, can reduce the surface of the skin temperature and aid in maintaining core body temperature.
By Melissa Smith, CIH, CHMM, MPH, STS, UCOR Temperature Extremes Subject Matter Expert
Now is the time to ensure adequate preparations are underway for the heat stress season. Are PreparedYouforHeatStressSeason? 32 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
Are Job Specific Control and Equipment Available and Ready for Use?
Tents/Shade
vests
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature monitoring Fans/air conditioning Physiological monitoring Cool Entering the warmer part of the year requires an increased focus on heat stress hazards and controls during work. Heat stress is a very real, very serious acute hazard. Consider job specific heat stress control implementation when the ambient temperatures are predicted to reach 80°F or Yougreater.want to ensure heat stress training is conducted and received prior to work in heat stress. Are your workers knowledgeable of heat illness symptoms and how to respond? If workers are unsure, who should they ask? In your personal life, how are you adequately preparing for heat stress season? Your acclimation is beneficial in reducing your risk for heat stress. Prepare and be mindful about, ‘eating and drinking right,’ and developing/maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Staying fit is essential to good health. During seasonal shifts, temperatures fluctuate with warm and cool days which can make heat acclimation a challenge. Heat acclimation is the process by which you become physically adjusted to the hot environment and plays an important role in how well you tolerate heat. Full acclimation requires several consecutive days of work in warm environments, and acclimation can be lost after only a few days of cooler weather or time off. During seasonal shifts, the heat acclimation you gain during warmer days, can be lost during cooler days. When warmer days come more consistently, allow gradual repeated exposure to heat and make note of how temperature fluctuations can impact your acclimation schedule. The chart below is a sample of the acclimation schedule used at UCOR, which illustrates a 20% increase in duration each day when working in heat at ambient temperatures at or above 80°F during an 8-hour shift. The body will acclimate to the level of work demanded of it. Simply being in a hot place is not sufficient. Doing light or brief physical work in the heat will acclimate you ONLY to light, brief work. More strenuous or longer tasks require more acclimation and should be added later in the acclimation process. Most physically fit, hydrated, rested, and properly nourished workers should be able to safely handle a full workload after 5 days of gradual increase. Even though they may not be fully acclimated, they will continue to see beneficial improvements in heat tolerance for up to two weeks after exposure starts. For more information related to this article, please email melissa.smith@orcc.doe.gov YOU KNOW? You should use a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
DID
Powered equipment to reduce physical demands Sunhats, sunscreen, head/neck rags Heat shielding Forearm submersion chairs Hydration
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stations
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By Brian H. Petersen, CIH, CSP Heat stress is a common workplace hazard especially in areas that experience high temperatures with high humidity levels. Work scope that requires non-breathable PPE can also represent an ongoing heat stress hazard. To ensure the safety of our workers, it is necessary to be able to properly identify heat stress symptoms. It is equally important to know appropriate mitigations for heat-related illnesses and what steps we need to take in advance. By knowing how to recognize heat stress conditions, worker symptoms, and how to properly mitigate the effects, we can keep workers safe from this avoidable hazard.
HEAT OPTIONSCONTROLANDIDENTIFICATIONSTRESS
Heat stress can come from multiple sources. These include the environment, physical exertion, and retention of heat due to PPE. As the core temperature of the body increases, it responds by increasing circulation, which then dissipates the heat load by transferring the heat to the skin. This increase in heat load causes the skin to start sweating which removes the heat by evaporation. Anything that impedes the body’s ability to sweat, or the effectiveness of sweating, will make it more difficult for a person to handle heatThereload.are environmentalmanyand personal factors associated with heatrelated illness. Environmental factors include high ambient temperature, high humidity, radiant heat from either a hot process or the sun, and air movement. Personal factors that can have important impacts include age, weight, fitness level, drug or alcohol use, medical conditions, personal illness or dehydration, and previous occurrence of heatrelated illness. Knowledge of the job scope, work area, a worker’s background and history, are important in accounting for these risk factors. As heat rises in the body it can produce a myriad of symptoms. These include lack of concentration, irritability, and nausea. Failure to respond to a person experiencing these symptoms can lead to permanent disability and even death. The most common types of heat-related illnesses include heat rash, heat syncope, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatHeatstroke.exhaustion is when the core temperature of the body has reached a point at which it can no longer cool itself adequately. This means that the heart cannot pump quickly enough to dissipate heat in an effective manner. Symptoms include heavy sweating, feeling faint or fatigued, headache, a weak, rapid pulse, muscle cramps, and nausea or vomiting. Summon immediate medical attention if a worker is exhibiting any of these symptoms.Heatstroke is the most severe form of heat-related illness. This occurs when the body can no longer regulate incoming heat and sweating ceases. If a worker has been sweating profusely and then stops sweating while still performing the same level of metabolic effort, they may be in heat stroke. Other symptoms include high body temperature, flushed skin, which is red and dry, lack of sweating, a strong, fast pulse, throbbing headache, and nausea. Summon immediate medical attention if a worker is exhibiting any of theseTheresymptoms.areavariety of methods that can be used to anticipate and monitor workers for heat-related illnesses. OSHA advocates the use of the Heat Index. This is a tool that uses ambient temperature and relative humidity to inform a site manager about the potential for heat stress. It is color-coded To ensure the safety of our workers, it is necessary to be able to properly identify heat stress symptoms. It is equally important to know appropriate mitigations for heat-related illnesses and what steps we need to take in advance.
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globe. This is effective in picking up radiant heat sources such as the sun. Finally, it requires a wet bulb thermometer. This is a thermometer that is encased in a cloth filament that wicks water from a reservoir. As the temperature rises it accounts for a person sweating as well as the impact of humidity, as the wick doesn’t evaporate as readily in high humidity situations. With those elements, a WBGT temperature can be ascertained. If using PPE, a clothing adjustment factor would be applied to the base WBGT value providing an adjusted WBGT value which can then be compared to a work/rest schedule. An example of such a schedule is provided by the ACGIH, a consensus standard, in their TLV/BEI booklet. An example of a work/rest schedule would be 75% work/25% rest. This would mean that in any given hour a work crew would work for 45 minutes and then rest in a cool shaded area for 15 minutes. The WBGT more accurately accounts for local environmental conditions and is a more accurate measure of potential worker exposure to heat. Devices are manufactured and readily available for purchase and use. A good analogue for core temperature reading is measuring a worker’s heart rate. Multiple technological solutions for this have already been produced via the fitness industry. Such options include wrist watches and chest straps which relay heart rate information over Bluetooth to a smart phone or tablet. With heart rate monitoring information, the heart rate guidance in the ACGIH TLV can be used. The main control limits include a TLV of 180 minus the worker’s age. This is the beat per minute limit which should not be exceeded for several minutes of sustained heart rate. The other heart rate information that should be monitored is that when a worker enters a rest phase of a job task, their heart rate should be less than 120 bpm. Using real time monitoring can provide personalized information on the state of your work force in areas with heat stress potential. A downside of using this kind of system is that some job-related tasks require greater amounts of physical exertion which can cause a natural increase of the heart rate. Administrative controls must be developed to account for such activities such as exertion windows and rest periods where lower heart rate limits would be monitored and potentially enforced. Brian H. Petersen has been an Industrial Hygienist at the Idaho Cleanup Project since 2005. He is a Certified Industrial Hygienist as well as a Certified Safety Professional. Brian currently serves as the Industrial Hygiene Technical Lead for Idaho Environmental Coalition, the current contract owner of the Idaho Cleanup Project.
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to indicate the relative risk from yellow to dark red. When working in the yellow area, hydration and rest breaks are advocated. When environmental conditions become more severe and proceed from yellow, through light and dark orange and into the red level, the anticipated response should increase. This can include things such as providing cooling areas, increasing water and shade breaks, and rotating work crews. A more locatedwhichathermometer.wetemperature,inputsThisoftenwetanticipatingenvironmentalcomprehensivemethodforheatstressisthebulbglobethermometer,referredtoastheWBGT.canbecalculatedusingsuchasthedrybulbwhichiswhatareusedtoreadingonaItalsorequiresglobethermometerreadingconsistsofathermometerinthecenterofablack
for Magid 38 Leader—Summer 2022 vpppa.org
By John Heniff, Writer
Safety
Quality ProductsCoolingTheImportanceof
• Scheduling proper workto-rest ratios based on air temperature and level of Butworkloadwhatelse can be done to protect workers in hot conditions, especially those who wear heavy PPE that can trap heat against the body? For hazards like welding that require heavy protection that’s primarily needed at the front of the worker’s body, manufacturers like Magid® offer jackets and chaps with mesh or open backs to keep workers safe while still allowing airflow. For other applications, new Magid innovations in gloves, sleeves, and clothing provide the lightest material on the market that still offers protection up to ANSI Cut Level A9 to keep workers protected from hazards while keeping them as cool as possible in lightweight PPE. But keep in mind that, while lighter PPE will help, you also need to do something to actively cool workers in hot conditions. This has been tough in the past, but new technology in cooling PPE helps your workers stay cool while working in the heat for hours.
• Acclimatizing them to the heat on their jobsite over the course of 7–14 days to improve heat tolerance
While these statistics are grim, the good news is heat illness is 100% preventable with the right planning and care.
The Latest Cooling Fabric Technology
To build the best solution for industrial workers, Magid has partnered with Mission® to make lightweight and portable cooling PPE that helps keep workers both comfortable and safe on the job. Magid Cool Powered by Mission® activates in roughly a minute, cools to 30° F below the average body temperature and stays cool for up to 2 hours. The material is chemical-free, machine washable, and can be reactivated anytime throughout the day for renewed cooling. This means they can stay cool and still feel refreshing unlike some chemically treated garments. Activation is easy—simply wet the garment thoroughly with any temperature of water, wring the excess water out, then snap and wave a few times to activate the cooling properties. The material’s outer layers are absorbent to enhance the natural evaporation process while the inner layer is designed with a unique micro-groove construction to retain more water. And since the material can activate with any temperature of water, your workers can save cool water to drink and use lukewarm or even hot water to activate and reactivate the garments. Though it’s useful for any hot jobs, whether outdoors or indoors, this makes Magid Cool especially useful for workers in remote settings away from air-conditioning and refrigerators like in the agriculture, construction, or oil and gas Availableindustries.innavy blue as well as eye-catching hi-vis lime yellow, this proprietary cooling technology is available in durable cooling towels as well as skull caps that fit under hard hats, bandanas that can be worn skinny or wide, and neck gaiters/face covers that can be worn 12 different ways if your workers can’t wear loose garments on the job. Why waste your time or money on something that’s not the latest and greatest cooling technology? The latest technologies are unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and do an incredible job at keeping your crew safe in the heat. Don’t settle for less!
Y ou can workersprotectfromthe heat by taking a few simple and inexpensive heat safety measures, such as:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 4,000 workers are seriously injured or die from heat stress every year. Additionally, the average cost of a heat safety incident is over $53,000, bringing the annual financial toll into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The goal of cooling gear is to prevent the
GarmentsTypicalTheproductive.enoughfeelanddangerousfromtemperaturewearer’srisingtolevelstohelpthemcomfortabletobeTroublewithCooling
• Offering them cool water and beverageselectrolyte-replacing before, during, and after their shift
The goal of cooling gear is to prevent the wearer’s temperature from rising to dangerous levels and to help them feel comfortable enough to be productive. Traditional cooling garments don’t stay cool for long. Instead, they tend to become warm and feel like a hot, wet rag that fails to lower the wearer’s core temperature and may even increase it. Many garments are designed to reactivate for extended use. But using an inferior cooling material means your workers will need to dip the item in cold water throughout their shift to keep it cool. This is not only tiresome and annoying to an overheated worker, but it disrupts their productivity, too. Other garments are treated with chemicals to help them stay cool for long periods of time. While they work well, they can feel slimy after a while in the heat.
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workers,
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schedules and are
The VPP Online platform, available for use by both federal and state plan VPP sites, allows for easy collaboration among team members by providing a single location for all report information and supporting documents to be uploaded. Additionally, the program reduces calculation errors commonly seen in the self-evaluation process by automatically calculating necessary statistics that are required for submitting the report, including injury and illness rates by NAICS code. Most importantly, this platform allows for the standardization of the online self-evaluation, by creating a consistent process to upload and deliver the necessary information in the correct format that can be repeated year after year.
the
SafetyVPPPA’sStar of the Quarter The
Learn
In 2021, VPPPA partnered with auditing technology innovative leader, AuditSoft, to reinvent the annual VPP Self-Evaluation process for VPPPA members. Now available for sign up on the VPPPA website, VPP Online aims to simplify the process by which Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) participants submit their annual self-evaluations.
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community.continuedSafetyprofessionalism.achievementsemployee’sinsafetyperformanceandThankyoutoallourVPPPAStarsandVPPPAmembersfortheircontributionstothesafetyandhealthSafetyStarsoftheQuarterwillbefeaturedonourwebsite,socialmedia, Leader magazine,
VPPPA conducted an early user trial in January of 2022 to test the capabilities of the platform. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the participants, who shared that their main take away were the platform’s ease of use, ability to collaborate with teammates, automatic injury and illness rate calculation, instant report generation, and the ability to have these reports in a central location for review in future years.
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The majority of the 22 State Plan States and almost half of the Federal OSHA regions have approved the platform and confirmed they will accept the report. learn more about VPP Online and to sign up for access, visit our website at vpppa.org/vpp-online/ VPPPA Safety Star of the Quarter a program to honor and recognize an On Level Quarter Safety Star Joe Marez INVISTA VPPVictoria,Coordinator/SGETexas(RegionVI) learn more about Joe, or submit someone to be considered as a Safety Star, visit our website: https://www.vpppa.org/ can also email membership@vpppa.org
VPP Online is now available for sign up!
within your
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e-newsletter, and receive a certificate. 3rd
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membership/safety-star/. You
Labor
Don’t Miss Out on VPPPA’s Labor Summit Webinar Series Labor Summits are monthly 30-minute webinars showcasing a diverse mix designed engage both represented and non-represented, to jointly and workplace safety. summits last 30 minutes to minimize impacts to work available as recordings the same day. range from women in the workforce to building safety culture workplace, workplace worker trainer and more. more at
• Click on Member Login on the Home Page • Enter your username (email address) • Enter your password (If you ever forget your password, click the “Forgot your password?” link to receive an email with a password reset link.) You can also update your information by contacting membership@ vpppa.org at any time. Regional Events Many VPPPA Regions are hosting events in the coming year. Make sure to visit www.vpppa.org/regional-events for the most up-to-date information on regional events. DID YOU KNOW? Heat illness is preventable.100% 41vpppa.org Leader—Summer 2022
•
This year, people are returning to normalcy with vacations, having fun outdoors, and taking it easy. Last summer, there was a trend that became known as the Great Resignation. Many people left their jobs due to family care responsibilities, health issues, or to pursue new opportunities. No matter the reason, with the Great Resignation came job vacancies, and job vacancies mean your VPPPA membership no longer has a primary contact and has outdated membership information. While inaccurate contact information may seem like a minor inconvenience, it can open up a world of problems, because proper communication is the key to a successful association/member relationship. You deserve to be as informed as possible on your account, and without having the correct contact information on file, it makes it difficult for us to reach you with important information such as dates of upcoming events, new membership benefits, or your membership renewal invoice. Proper communication is the key to a successful association/member relationship.
A Note from VPPPA’s Membership & Outreach Manager, Son Nguyen Summer is here!
Staff changes are a normal part of a busy business. In order for us to make sure we’re relaying the right information to the right person, it’s important to let us know if the primary contact has recently been hired or changed. This way, when we call or reach out with any account information, we can be sure that we’re addressing the right person. The easiest way to update your information would be to login to the Member Portal. To login, follow these steps: Visit www.vpppa.org
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VPPPA, Inc., the premier global safety and health organization, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes advances in worker safety and health excellence through best practices and cooperative efforts among workers, employers, the government and communities.
VPPPA contacts To reach the VPPPA National Office, call (703) 761-1146 or visit www.vpppa.org. To reach a particular staff member, please refer to the contact information below. Sara A. Taylor, CMP Director of staylor@vpppa.orgOperations Heidi Hill Partnership hhill@vpppa.orgManager Lisa Silber Sales & lsilber@vpppa.orgCoordinatorAdvertising Kerri Usher Communications & Outreach kusher@vpppa.orgManager Ariana Hanaity Communications ahanaity@vpppa.orgCoordinator Sierra Johnson Senior Education sjohnson@vpppa.orgCoordinator Son Nguyen Membership & Outreach snguyen@vpppa.orgManager Bryan Knight UX Web Services bknight@vpppa.orgProgrammer Ad Index Advertiser Website Page Always in Mind (A.I.M) www.aimforsafety.com 41 Bollé Safety www.bollesafety-usa.com 44 Ericson www.ericson.com 26 Gas Clip www.gascliptech.com 2 Industrial Scientific www.indsci.com 11 KPA www.kpa.io 15 Roco Rescue www.rocorescue.com 43 Working Concepts www.softknees.com 31 www.vpppa.org VPPPA National Board of Directors Chairperson Terry Schulte, NuStar Energy, LP Vice Chairperson Dan Lazorcak, CSP, Honeywell International Treasurer Sean D. Horne, Valero Energy Secretary Bill Linneweh, CSP, Hendrickson International Director from a Site With a Collective Bargaining Unit Jack Griffith, Central Plateau Cleanup Company Director from a Site Without a Collective Bargaining Agent Johnathan “JD” Dyer, Structuretone/LF Driscoll Director from a DOE-VPP Site Michelle Keever, UCOR, an Amentum-Led Partnership with Jacobs Director from a VPP Contractor/ Construction Site Brad Gibson, S&B Engineers & Constructors Director-at-Large Vacant Director-at-Large Shelly Ettel, Amentum Director-at-Large Saprena Lyons, Fluor Idaho Director-at-Large Christina Ross, Morton Salt Director-at-Large Daniel Charles, Brandenburg Industrial Service Company Director-at-Large Andy Foster, Hanford Mission Integrated Solutions Editor Kerri Usher, VPPPA, Inc. Associate Editor Ariana Hanaity, VPPPA, Inc. EDITORIAL MISSION
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