“In the last three years, there have been almost 100 accepted claims for work-related injuries caused by heat stress — and these are preventable injuries,” said Barry Nakahara, Senior Manager of Prevention Field Services at WorkSafeBC. “We’re reminding workers and employers to take steps to prevent heat stress. This includes reducing exposure to the sun wherever possible, drinking lots of water, wearing the right clothes, and taking rest breaks in cool, well-ventilated areas.”
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include excess sweating, dizziness, fainting and muscle cramps. Symptoms of heat stroke include cessation of sweating, an increased breathing rate, confusion, seizures and even cardiac arrest.
To prevent heat-stress injuries, WorkSafeBC requires employers to conduct heat stress assessments. As appropriate, employers must have a heat stress mitigation plan that provides education and training in recognizing the symptoms of heat stress and heat stroke.
Click here to read about some measures that employers and workers can do to prevent heat stress.
