Osha & Heat Stress Prevention


by Mr. Tysone Mark - Date: 2010-08-14 - Word Count: 420 Share This!

The BP oil spill catastrophe took place in the peak months of summer, making it necessary to toil and rough it out in the heat. Although, many workers are used to working in such uncomfortable conditions, OSHA has found it necessary to provide trainings for workers about all the inherent dangers that come along with working in the summers.

The BP oil spill tragedy came about in the peak summer months, and has since required, on an urgent basis, the services of skilled and trained workers in the areas of oil spill clean up. However, many of these workers are subject to extreme conditions in the heat. Many of the workers working near the site of the oil spill are required to use Personal Protective Equipment and wear protective garb, making it all the more uncomfortable for them to work.

Any form of physical activity that is performed at high temperatures can directly affect a person's health and can indirectly cause accidents and in many cases, heat exhaustion and death. With the current 2010 heat wave going strong, many of the North Eastern parts of the United States have been direly affected. Heat and the stress that comes along with it is caused due to the over exertion of a body, and should be looked upon as a life threatening condition that needs to be addressed immediately.

So, what exactly is heat stress?

Heat stress is a condition that must be addressed immediately. It is a sign that your body has been over stressed and needs to take a break. When going through heat stress, your body would typically react in the following ways: Since, your body is having great difficulty in maintaining its temperature range, your hurt would pump blood very fast and the blood would get diverted from the organs to the skin. Your breathing rate would increase rapidly and you would start perspiring profusely so as to transfer your body heat to the external air and cool your skin by the evaporation of excess sweat. Your body cannot maintain the right cooling balances and this is how heat stress is caused.

Some of the ways to prevent heat stress include:

* Drink water frequently and at regular intervals of time.
* Take a break every once in a while.
* Eat light.

Apart from these measures, OSHA has also maintained that it is necessary for workers to undergo safety training before stepping on to the site of the oil spill. After all, precaution is always better than the cure, if there is a cure at all!

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