Kent Health and Safety Group 2 nd March 2006 Delphi Diesel Systems Hazards of Working in Hot Conditions. David Wigens.

Kent Health and Safety Group

2nd March 2006

Delphi Diesel Systems

Hazards of Working in Hot Conditions.

David Wigens

David Wigens

17 years as a health and safety practitioner in:

Electronics

Pharmaceuticals

Waste

Consultancy

Legal RequirementsEmployers’ Duties

• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974– Safe Systems of Work– Safe Place of Work– The provision and maintenance of a working

environment for his employees that is SFARP, safe, without risks to health

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs. 1999– Risk Assessment

• Identify Hazards• Identify who might be at risk

• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regs. 1992– Effective and suitable provision shall be

made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air.

• Manual Handling Operations Regs. 1992– make a suitable and sufficient assessment

of all such manual handling operations to be undertaken (Schedule 1 Factor 3 – The working environment - extremes of temperature or humidity)

Legal RequirementsEmployers’ Duties

No upper temperature limits

Basis is Risk Assessment

Legal RequirementsEmployers’ Duties

Five Steps to Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment

Step 1: Identify the hazards

Risk Assessment

Hazards• High Temperature• High Humidity• High physical

demand/work rate• Low Air Movement• Type of PPE worn

Hard Hats

RPE e.g. BA, Filtering masks

Overalls

• Confined Space• Sun Light (UV)• Combinations of above

Heat Stress - Health Effects• Fatigue• Dehydration• Hyperthermia

– Heat Exhaustion– Heat Stroke/, Core Temp ≥40ºC (Normally

37 ºC )• Classic – summer months• Exertional – may continue sweating

• Central Nervous System dysfunction – Core temp >41.1ºC (hyperpyrexia) brain damage possible

• Cardio-respiratory failure• Organ failure

Heat Stress - Symptoms• Inability to concentrate• Muscle cramps• Heat rash• Severe thirst - a late symptom• Fainting• Heat exhaustion - fatigue, giddiness,

nausea, headache, moist skin• Heat stroke - hot dry skin, confusion,

convulsions and eventual loss of consciousness. Can result in death if not detected and treated at an early stage.

Body Responses

As core temperature increases, the body response is activated by the hypothalamus

– Sweat glands open to allow heat loss by evaporation. (Main mechanism to regulate body temperature).

Body Responses

• Vasodilation – increases blood flow to skin surface to permit heat loss by radiation, convection and some conduction.

Body Responses

• For both sweating and vasodilation responses, the cooling effects are reliant on air movement, air temperature and humidity.

• If there is a high humidity and/or low air movement, heat loss through sweating (evaporative cooling) can be impaired.

Body Responses

• If the body is unable self cool, then:• In these circumstances the body's core

temperature will rise, and the individual will become fatigued.

• If the core temperature is allowed to continue to increase then heat exhaustion and heat stroke can follow.

• Heat stroke is serious and can lead to death if not treated.

Step 2: Identify individuals who may be harmed and how

Risk Assessment

Hot Work Environments

Some Industries/Occupations where hot environments or work may be present

Agriculture

Armed Forces

Bakeries

Construction

Electronics

Fire fighters

Foundries

Leisure

Mines

Paper & Board

Pharmaceuticals

Restaurants Shipping

Sport

Waste Industry

Warehousing

Individuals

• Susceptibility due to:– Medical conditions e.g.

• heart conditions• Respiratory conditions, asthma

– Illness– Medication– Pregnancy

Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide whether existing

precautions are adequate or more should be done

Risk Assessment

Controls

• Engineering Controls– Reduce temperature of equipment where possible– Insulate sources of heat, pipes ovens etc.– Mechanical Aids

• Environmental control systems– Ventilation

L24 ACOP (WHSWR)Enclosed workplaces should be sufficiently well ventilated

so that stale air, and air which is hot or humid because of the processes or equipment in the workplace, is replaced at a reasonable rate.

– Air movement, open windows, use of fans.– Air conditioning, (refrigeration, humidity control, air

movement, air changes)

Controls• Separation

– Barriers/screens– Thermal refuges (cool rooms)

• Safe Systems of Work– Rest breaks– Restrict exposure to heat– Control amount of work expected of individual– Rehydration, provide water and encourage to

drink before, during (not practical in some circumstances) and after activity

• PPE– Need to ensure does not introduce other

hazards

Health Surveillance• The Management of Health and Safety at Work

Regulations– Regulation 6: Health Surveillance– “Every employer shall ensure that his employees are provided

with such health surveillance as is appropriate having regard to the risks to their health and safety which are identified by the assessment.”

ACOP:Health surveillance will be required where the assessment shows the following criteria to apply:

there is an identifiable disease or adverse health condition related to the work concerned, e.g. skin cancer; and

valid techniques are available to detect indications of the disease or condition, observation and tests; and

there is a reasonable likelihood that the disease or condition may occur under the particular conditions of work; and

surveillance is likely to further the protection of the health and safety of the employees to be covered.

Step 4: Record findingsStep 5: Review assessment

Risk Assessment

References

• HSG 194, Thermal comfort in the workplace

• GIS 1, Heat stress in the workplace. What you need to know as an employer

• INDG 147, Keep you top on – health risks from working in the sun

• RR337 The effects of thermal environments on the risks associated with manual handling