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28 PalletCentral • July-August 2022 palletcentral.com Adele L. Abrams is an attorney and safety professional who represents companies in litigation with OSHA and also provides safety training and consultation. The Law Office of Adele L. Abrams PC has three offices: Beltsville, MD; Denver, CO; and Charleston, WV. She may be reached at www.safety-law.com or 301-595-3520. abating heat stress hazards in workplaces include, but are not limited to: 1. Permitting workers to drink water or cold liquids (e.g., sports drinks) at liberty; 2. Establishing provisions for a work/rest regimen so that exposure time to high temperatures and/or the work rate is decreased; and, 3. Developing a heat stress program which incorporates the following: A training program informing employees about the effects of heat stress, and how to recognize heat- related illness symptoms and prevent heat-induced illnesses; a) Implementing a screening program to identify health conditions aggravated by elevated environmental temperatures; b) Including an acclimation program for new employees or employees returning to work from absences of three or more days; c) Adopting specific procedures to be followed for Training on heat stress prevention should be included as part of new worker training – including information on acclimatizing to the environment – and also in task training for new tasks involving different types of heat exposure or requiring novel protection methods. heat-related emergency situations; and d) Mandating that first aid be administered immediately to employees displaying symptoms of heat-related illness. OSHA has a "Heat Illness Prevention" campaign information page (https://www.osha.gov/heat/) with resources for both workers and employers. OSHA inspectors will prioritize inspections of heat-related complaints, referrals and employer- reported illnesses and initiate an onsite investigation where possible. e agency has instructed its compliance safety and health officers, during their travels to job sites, to conduct an intervention (providing the agency's heat poster/wallet card, discuss the importance of easy access to cool water, cooling areas and acclimatization) or opening an inspection when they observe employees performing strenuous work in hot conditions. OSHA also can expand the scope of other inspections to address heat-related hazards where worksite conditions or other evidence indicates these hazards may be present. OSHA also recognizes the employee's right of work refusal where the employer fails to implement appropriate protections – including failure to provide rest, shade and water to workers on extreme heat days -- and this is protected activity under Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety & Health Act of 1970. Training on heat stress prevention should be included as part of new worker training – including information on acclimatizing to the environment – and also in task training for new tasks involving different types of heat exposure or requiring novel protection methods. Prevention is the best course of action, so remember the three key words: Water – Rest – Shade!

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