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34 PalletCentral • July-August 2020 palletcentral.com The proposed law would require OSHA to promulgate whistleblower protections. Under this provision, an employee asking the employer to provide specific beverages could be a protected activity which would trigger the whistleblower protections. these heat prevention plans to meet discrete requirements, including engineering controls, administrative controls that limit exposure to a hazard by adjustment of work procedures or work schedules, and personal protective equipment. Further, employers would be required to provide specific training to employees and supervisors, and maintain records related to heat illness risk and hazard assessments, as well as identification, evaluation, correction, and training procedures. Additionally, the proposed law would require OSHA to promulgate whistleblower protections. Employees would be protected from discrimination for reporting a heat-illness-related concern or seeking assistance or intervention with respect to heat-related health symptoms from their employer, local emergency services, or a local, state, or federal government. Under this provision, an employee asking the employer to provide specific beverages could be a protected activity which would trigger the whistleblower protections. What OSHA Does Say OSHA does have guidance on heat stress prevention and notes that, in outdoor fatalities, 50 to 70 percent occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to build a tolerance to the heat gradually over time, called heat acclimatization. Lack of acclimatization represents a major risk factor for fatal outcomes. Because employers may be limited at accessing employees' personal health information, workers should be trained to know if they are at heightened risk for heat-related illness, and they can then determine whether to ask the employer for reasonable accommodation (if covered by the ADA). The personal factors that place workers at higher risk T he OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool is a useful resource for planning outdoor work activities based on how hot it feels throughout the day. Featuring real-time heat index and hourly forecasts, specific to your loca- tion, as well as occupational safety and health recommendations from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The Heat Safety Tool features: • A visual indicator of the current heat index and associated risk levels specific to your current geographical location. • Precautionary recommendations specific to heat index-associated risk levels. • An interactive, hourly forecast of heat index values, risk level, and recommendations for planning outdoor work activities in advance. • Editable location, temperature, and humidity controls for calculation of variable conditions. • Signs and symptoms and first aid informa- tion for heat-related illnesses. The App allows workers and supervisors to calculate the heat index for their worksite, and, based on the heat index, displays a risk level to outdoor workers. Then, with a simple "click," you can get reminders about the protective measures that should be taken at that risk level to protect workers from heat-related illness-re- minders about drinking enough fluids, schedul- ing rest breaks, planning for and knowing what to do in an emergency, adjusting work opera- tions, gradually building up the workload for new workers, training on heat illness signs and symptoms, and monitoring each other for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness. Working in full sunlight can increase heat index values by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep this in mind and plan additional precautions for working in these conditions. Get the OSHA NIOSH Heat Index App on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App

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