With summer underway, now is the perfect time for organizations to examine their policies and procedures regarding employee heat exposure, especially in light of the recently published document from NIOSH titled, “Occupational Exposure to Heat and Hot Environments”, Publication Number 2016-106.
Heat-related injuries and illnesses in the workplace are more common than you would think. In 2010, for example, there were 4,190 injury or illness cases related to heat that resulted in one or more lost work days, according to the NIOSH report. Between 2013 and 2014 there were 20 cases of heat related illness or death.