To assist Health and Safety Representatives and employees of the University of Ballarat in maintaining healthy and safe working conditions.

These guidelines aim to provide that guidance and assistance by:

• defining the health and safety risks associated with heat in the workplace;
• describing the methods for assessing these risks; and
• recommending measures aimed at reducing these risks and heat discomfort.

These guidelines also contain recommended measures aimed at reducing heat discomfort.

2. Scope

3. Definitions

"Heat illness": covers a range of medical conditions that can arise when the body is unable to properly cope with working in heat. These conditions are generally grouped under the following three categories (listed here in order of decreasing severity):

• Heat stroke: is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate first aid and medical attention. Heat stroke is accompanied by a rapid rise in body core temperature and symptoms of disorientation, delirium, convulsions and hot dry skin. First aid treatment consists in returning the body core temperature to normal by immersion in cold water promoted by massaging limbs and body surfaces. Efforts to cool the body should stop when core temperature has returned to normal to avoid the onset of shock.
• Heat exhaustion: may be due to circulatory, water, salt, or sweat deficiencies. Symptoms include general tiredness, giddiness, nausea, cold feelings, sighing, yawning and shallow or irregular breathing, facial pallor or bluish tinge on the face. Recovery is usually rapid when the person is moved to a cooler environment and allowed to rest in a comfortable position.
• Heat stress: arises from the an inability of the body to dissipate excess heat through sweating. If the condition is severe or prolonged, it can result in heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Risks are significantly increased in people who are dehydrated, unacclimatised, unfit, ill, obese or improperly clothed.

"Heat discomfort": covers the feelings experienced by people when environmental conditions are hot. It is not a medical condition. In many cases where people experience considerable heat discomfort, they face no significant risk of succumbing to the serious health and safety problems of heat illness.

4. Actions

The Supervisor, Manager or Teacher/Lecturer should assess the risks and possible control measures in consultation with the relevant Health and Safety Representative and the staff or students concerned. The recommended method is:

Step 1: Assessing the Risks of Heat Illness

Determine which of the following risk factors apply:

• physical work or activity;
• employees or students have little or no control over the pace of their activities;
• high ambient temperatures;
• radiant heat, such as emitted by the sun (outdoor activities), ovens, furnaces or kilns, etc;
• high humidity;
• limited air movement;
• many items of clothing (eg protective clothing) or "all over" clothing worn (eg some protective suits and overalls);
• employees or students unacclimatised to, and/or inexperienced in, working in heat;
• employees or students who abuse or are recovering from the abuse of alcohol and other toxicants;
• employees or students who are pregnant, overweight, physically unfit, feverish, dehydrated, have heart/circulatory/skin diseases, use certain medicines; and
• employees or students have suffered from heat illness in the past or are suffering at present.

Step 2: Controlling the Risks of Heat Illness

Supervisors and Managers in charge of activities associated with a risk of heat illness should adopt control measures drawn from the following list, in consultation with their staff and/or students:

• scheduling heavier work during cooler times;
• providing rest breaks in a cool, well-ventilated place;
• providing shade for outdoor work;
• providing cool, clean and palatable water in sufficient quantities for employees and/or students to drink a cup of water every 15-20 minutes;
• increasing the loss of body heat through sweating by reducing humidity, increasing air movement, and wearing suitable clothing (eg loose-fitting, light clothing);
• getting more people to share heavy workloads, or rotating demanding work around to spread the load;
• providing opportunities for unacclimatised employees or students to acclimatise to working in heat;
• reducing expectations relating to work outputs;
• educating employees and/or students about the warning symptoms of heat illness;
• instructing staff to seek first aid treatment for symptoms that cannot be rapidly reversed; and
• encouraging co-workers and students to monitor each other for signs and symptoms of heat illness.

In some cases, specific additional measures may be necessary. The measures required will depend on the particular problem at hand, the results of consultation with staff, and the nature of the work and worplace.

Step 3: Controlling Heat Discomfort

Individuals who experience heat discomfort should:

• relocate to cooler areas if practicable;
• wear loose clothing or loosen clothing, whilst still ensuring sufficient protection from the sun if working outdoors;
• drink cool water frequently;
• increase air movement, if possible, by opening windows and doors, using fans, etc;
• use blinds, curtains or screens to limit the radiant heat entering rooms through windows; and
• rotate jobs or take more frequent rest breaks.

5. Responsibility

6. Policy Base

7. Associated Documents