Working In Hot Weather Or Hot Workplace Environments printable pdf download

Working In Hot Weather Or Hot Workplace Environments

Working in Hot Weather or Hot Workplace Environments

Subject: Procedures and Guidelines for Working in Hot Environments

Applies to: All employees

Number: 2010-06

Pages: 7

Effective Date: November 2010

Supersedes: June 2010

Prepared and Approved by: Occupational Health and Safety

PURPOSE:

This work procedure is intended to prevent potential heat induced illness as a result of hot

weather or hot workplace environments.

DEFINITIONS:

Acclimatization: Physiological changes which occur in response to several days of heat

exposure and make the body accustomed to a hot environment.

ACGIH - American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

Heat stress – The sum of environmental and metabolic heat loads on the individual. Includes

heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat rash, heat cramps and fainting.

Hot environment – Conditions that challenge the human body by subjecting it to the single or

combined effects of air temperature, sunshine, wind speed, humidity and duration of exposure.

Humidex – An index from Environmental Canada that combines the effects of temperature and

humidity to quantify human discomfort due to perceived heat.

Relative humidity – The moisture content of air expressed as a percentage of the maximum it can

hold at a given temperature, (% RH). Optimum relative humidity for comfort is between 30%

and 60%.

Temperature – Expressed in degrees Celsius (۫ C) or degrees Fahrenheit (۫ F). The optimum

temperature for comfort is 22 to 24 ۫ C. Temperature preferences can vary among individuals.

Working In Hot Weather Or Hot Workplace Environments