On this Heat Awareness Day, we introduce Ergon’s 2022 Heat Awareness Program. Corporate Health & Safety Manager James Upton shares the importance of heat safety awareness in organizations such as Ergon, where employees work in extreme temperatures year-round.

The past few years have shown that the risk of heat illness from high temperatures is one of the most serious challenges to the health and safety of workers. In 2019, despite widespread underreporting, 2,410 workers in the U.S. experienced a heat-related injury or illness, with 43 workers even dying from a heat illness. The real tragedy is that heat illness is almost always preventable.

High heat impacts everyone, and we can’t afford to ignore its effects on health. This year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has implemented a new national emphasis on heat stress, prioritizing heat-related interventions and workplace inspections on days when the heat index exceeds 80°F. This is in addition to their campaign to educate and assist employers on heat illness prevention.

ERGON’S HEAT AWARENESS PROGRAM:

Recognition is critical; prevention is key. Ergon’s Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Team has initiated an organization-wide Heat Awareness Program (HAP). The goal is to educate the Ergon Family on ways to recognize heat/temperature hazards and prevent related illnesses.

Here are some things we’ve done to help spread awareness so far. In May 2022, all Ergon facilities received HAP boxes with heat safety awareness information, OSHA posters in English and Spanish, and chill-its (evaporative cooling bandanas) for all employees.

We’re communicating heat safety awareness through digital monitors at all facilities and an organization-wide Heat Awareness Webinar series developed to provide tips on how to recognize and treat heat-related illnesses, including what to do to if you or a coworker start to experience symptoms.

Can you recognize the signs of a heat illness? The following graphic includes quick tips on how to recognize the symptoms and/or signs of one common heat-related illness — heat exhaustion.

Whether you work for Ergon or another company, we want to be sure you know how to avoid heat-related illnesses. We encourage you to refer to your company’s health and safety policies and guidelines, as well as any local, state and federal safety organizations with which you comply, for details on best practices for your organization.

If you’re interested in ways you can promote relevant heat safety awareness within your organization, email us and we’ll be in touch. Stay cool!