Quick tips on keeping your employees Safe for the Summer.

Summer is upon us (Once temperatures reach triple digits, your calendar is irrelevant). To most people this means fun in the sun, parties at the beach, and family vacations; but not for you Mr. Safety Director. For you this means excessive heat, water, safety hazards, water, safety meetings on heat-related illnesses and more water.

This is not to be taken lightly! OSHA Stats say that…“In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on the job. Heat illnesses and deaths are preventable.”

Source: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html?utm_source=Twitter

We all know that the heat affects certain industries more than others. Construction, Agriculture, and warehouse/manufacturing companies are definitely at risk of heat-related issues. Though, none of these compare to Staffing Companies! Staffing companies can have employees placed in all of these industries at the same time. Talk about a safety hazard!

So what is a company to do when their employees are working in 3 or 4 completely different industries that have different exposures to heat-related illness/injury? Fortunately, the rules set forth by Cal/OSHA are pretty easily applied to each industry that was just mentioned. Because, while it is important to keep compliant with Cal/OSHA; the truly important part of this is to keep your team safe.

Luckily for everyone, Cal/OSHA has set forth some guidelines on the best way to keep compliant with their requirements with regards to Heat Illness prevention and they are here for you.

Though if you want the short version, look no further:

1. Provide fresh and pure water for employees at all time (Emphasis on fresh and Pure)
2. Shade must be present and easily accessible for all employees in any temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Stay Alert and be aware of the signs/symptoms of Heat-related illness or injury! This can prevent or lessen the effect of injury!
4. Hold pre-shift meetings as a reminder to be cautious, be aware and stay hydrated
5. Have procedures for proper response in case of emergency-Employees and supervisors need to know exactly what to do, as every second matters!
6. Prevention and training are the best defense! Keep your employees informed on how to be safe. Why have one safety director when you can have a whole team of them?

Again, this is just the short version. For more info check out the OSHA Publication for yourself!

- Jessica S.