Acclimatization Helps Prevent Heat-Related Worker Deaths
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The primary risk factor for heat-related fatalities in the workplace is the lack of acclimatization programs, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC issued a report on an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) review of 20 heat-related enforcement cases from 2012 to 2013. Of the 13 enforcement cases that involved worker fatalities, nine of the deaths occurred in the first three days of working on the job, four of them occurring on the worker’s first day. In all 20 cases, heat-illness-prevention programs were found to be incomplete or absent, and no provision was made for acclimatizing new workers to the heat. Acclimatization is a critical part of preventing heat illnesses and fatalities, and workers should gradually build up workloads and exposure to heat by taking frequent breaks for water and rest in shade or air conditioning.
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