An updated app for smartphones and other mobile devices can help workers stay safe when working outdoors in hot weather. The free app was redesigned by CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), along with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool mobile app, for iOS and Android devices, determines heat index values – a measure of how hot it feels – based on temperature and humidity. Workers exposed to hot and humid conditions, including construction workers, landscapers, farmers, and others, are encouraged to use the app to check weather conditions if they will be outdoors for short or long periods during the summer heat.
“With the hot summer months on our doorstep, this app is a valuable tool for employers and workers to help prevent heat-related illnesses,” said John Howard, M.D., director of NIOSH. “In many cases, workers rely on their employers to provide opportunities for taking rest breaks and drinking water. This app puts life-saving information at the fingertips of both supervisors and workers to inform them when they need to take precautions to stay safe at the worksite.”
Extreme heat can be deadly
Extreme heat causes more deaths than any other weather-related hazard; each year more than 65,000 people seek medical treatment for extreme heat exposure. In 2018 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat-related illness, and 18 died from heatstroke and related causes on the job, according to OSHA.
Work-related exposure to heat can also result in reduced productivity and growing risk of injuries, such as those caused by sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, and cognitive impairment (that is, mental confusion, impaired judgment, and poor coordination).
The app, an updated version of OSHA’s original Heat Safety Tool, uses the device’s geolocation capabilities to pull temperature and humidity data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites to determine the heat index. The app shows the current risk level (minimal, low, moderate, high, or extreme) and forecasts the hourly heat index throughout the entire workday giving employers the information they can use to adjust the work environment as needed to protect workers.
“We applaud NIOSH for updating this important worker safety tool. Workers are most vulnerable in the first few days of working in the heat and the app helps users to calculate risk levels and learn the protective measures they can take to prevent heat illness,” said Dorothy Dougherty, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. “Being aware of the risks, gradually building a tolerance, and taking the necessary precautions can keep workers safe and save lives.”
How to stay safe outdoors in extreme heat
In addition to calculating the heat index, the app provides users with specific NIOSH and OSHA recommendations for protection against the heat based on the calculated risk level. This includes information about staying cool, proper hydration, and scheduling rest breaks. Recommendations are based on the 2016 publication NIOSH Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Heat and Hot Environments, which was recently updated to reflect the latest science.
Some examples of NIOSH recommendations that can be applied in many different outdoor workplaces include:
- Limit time in the heat and/or increase recovery time in a cool environment.
- Increase the number of workers per task.
- Train supervisors and workers about heat stress, including symptoms of heat-related illness, first aid, and risk factors.
- Use a buddy system where workers observe each other for signs of heat intolerance.
- Provide adequate amounts of cool, potable water near the work area and encourage workers to drink frequently.
- Use a heat alert program (additional written guidelines) whenever the weather service forecasts that a heat wave is likely to occur.
- Develop a plan to get employees acclimatized to hot weather and to increase physical fitness.
For more information on heat-related illnesses, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress. To install the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety App on your iOS or Android device, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/heatapp.html.
NIOSH is the federal institute that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. For more information about NIOSH, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
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SOURCE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov
OSHA & Other Heat Safety Resources
Thousands of workers are affected by heat illness each year. Environmental heat is a recognized hazard. Workers have the right to receive information and training about hazards and their prevention, and it is the employer’s responsibility to provide this.
In a training, it is important to include the health effects of heat, how and when to respond to symptoms, and how to prevent them from occurring. The OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Training Guide (PDF*) includes information in short, interactive lesson plans that can be completed in a tailgate or toolbox talk. Training should be in a language that the worker can understand.
Knowledge is the first step of prevention. To create a plan of preventing heat illness to communicate during these trainings, Using the Heat Index: A Guide for Employers (PDF*) is a helpful resource. Having a plan and knowing what to do in the event of a heat-related emergency is part of first aid that can save lives.
OSHA Training Resources
Other Training Resources
Free Heat Illness Prevention Assistance
- Attend a free training held by Cal/OSHA and other groups on heat illness prevention.
- Use Cal/OSHA’s online training tool for comprehensive information on the Heat Illness Prevention Regulation, including best practices and sample procedures for responding to heat illness.
- Contact Cal/OSHA Consultation Services for free assistance with developing a heat illness prevention plan and other requirements. Call 800-963-9424 or email infocons@dir.ca.gov
- Visit the Resources page for materials to help train workers or contact heat@dir.ca.gov to place a free order for printed materials.
Employer Training Resources
These resources, when combined with training on your company’s specific procedures, are designed to help you meet compliance with the Heat Illness Prevention standard. Visit the Resources page for a full list of training and educational materials available for print order or download.
- Posters to use as visuals:
- Worker fact sheets:
- Trainer’s guide with easy-to-follow instructions:
- Supervisor’s daily checklist for the worksite:
Cal/OSHA Video Guide: Water, Rest, Shade: The Work Can’t Get Done Without Them – A Heat Safety DVD and Discussion Guide (PDF).
Facilitate a discussion on heat illness prevention after watching the video.
- Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Outdoor Heat Exposure**
- Resources available in English and many in Spanish
- Labor Occupational Health Program’s (University of California, Berkeley, 2008)
- Also available Spanish (PDF)
- Script for Instructors: Dangers of Heat Stress
- Farm Safety Association, Inc. (2003)
- Also available in France and Spanish
- eLearning Course: Heat Stress Awareness for Construction & General Industry
- Kentucky Labor Cabinet, Office of Occupational Safety & Health
- Extension Training Module: Heat Stress
- The Ohio State University Extension
- Also available Spanish
- Fact Sheet: Heat Stress (PDF)
- Texas Department of Insurance
- Also available Spanish (PDF)
**NOTE: California and Washington state have their own heat illness prevention standards; these materials reflect the requirements in those standards.
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