The Heat is on the way!

Transcription

1 Ardaman & Associates, Inc. A Tetra Tech Company Newsletter May 7, 2018 The Heat is on the way! Workers who are exposed to hot environments may be at risk of heat stress. Exposure to extreme heat can result in occupational illnesses and injuries. Heat stress can result in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Heat can also increase the risk of injuries to workers as it may result in sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, and dizziness. Burns may also occur as a result of accidental contact with hot surfaces or steam when a worker loses focus due to a heat disorder. Examples of Ardaman workers at risk of heat stress include outdoor workers such as field technicians, drillers, and engineers. Workers at greater risk of heat stress include those who are 65 years of age or older, are overweight, have heart disease or high blood pressure, or take medications that can result in complications for the employee working in extreme heat. Prevention of heat stress in workers is important. Workers should understand what heat stress is, how it affects their health and safety, and how it can be prevented. Here are the heat related disorders starting from severe (heat stroke) to early identifiers (heat cramps). Heat Stroke Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related disorder. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: The body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. When heat stroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause permanent disability or death if emergency treatment is not given. Symptoms Symptoms of heat stroke include: Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating Hallucinations Chills Throbbing headache High body temperature Confusion/dizziness Slurred speech Vomiting First Aid Take the following steps to treat a worker with heat stroke: Call 911 and notify supervisor. Move the worker to a cool shaded area. Cool the worker using methods such as: Soaking their clothes with cool water Spraying, sponging, or showering them with cool water. Fanning their body. Placing icepacks under the arm pits or groin area. Inside this issue: Heat Disorders Page 1-3 LMSA Page 4 Ardaman Update Page 5 Quiz Page 6 Contact Information: Health & Safety Ardaman & Associates, Inc. Brett A. Buxbaum Orlando, FL P: (407) X 2413 Cell: (407) BBuxbaum@ardaman.com Safety Question: How much water on average do you lose during heavy work activity outside in the heat each hour? A. 5 ounces B. 12 ounces C. 16 ounces D. 32 ounces Answer on page 4

2 Page 2 Heat Disorders Continued Heat Exhaustion Heat exhaustion is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. Workers most prone to heat exhaustion are those that are elderly, have high blood pressure, and those working in a hot environment. Symptoms Symptoms of heat exhaustion include: Heavy sweating Extreme weakness or fatigue Dizziness, confusion Nausea, headache Clammy, moist/cool skin Pale or flushed complexion Muscle cramps Irritable Thirst First Aid Treat a worker suffering from heat exhaustion with the following: Have them rest in a cool, shaded or air-conditioned area. Have them slowly drink room temperature water. Have them rest until they feel better Heat Cramps Heat cramps usually affect workers who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body's salt and water levels. Low salt levels in muscles causes painful cramps. Cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion. Symptoms Symptoms of heat cramps include: Muscle pain or spasms usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs. First Aid Workers with heat cramps should: Stop all activity, and sit in a cool place. Slowly drink room temperature water. Do not return to strenuous work for a few hours after the cramps subside because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Recent studies have shown that drinking commercially available carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement liquids occasionally is effective in minimizing physiological disturbances during recovery. Eating bananas is an additional aid during recovery. Seek medical attention if the worker experiences heat cramps symptoms and any of the following apply: The worker has heart problems. The worker is on a low-sodium diet. The cramps do not subside within one hour. IF IT S NOT SAFE, STOP.DO IT THE SAFE WAY

3 Page 3 Heat Disorders Continued General Heat Safety Prevention Tips Use general ventilation, cooling fans, and evaporative cooling whenever possible; Shield heat producing equipment; Drink water steadily before and during work in the heat: Drink about 16 ounces before starting and 5 to 7 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during hot work activities. On average we lose 1 quart of water per hour in hot conditions. Eat well-balanced meals, avoiding heavy or hot food, Eat smaller meals before work activity. Avoid caffeine and alcohol or large amounts of sugar. Work at a steady pace minimizing overexertion; Know your own limits and ability to work safely in heat; Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing cotton is good. Take breaks in cool shade. Work in the shade when possible. Find out from your health care provider if your medications and heat don t mix. Know that equipment such as respirators or work suits can increase heat stress. Take fast action for symptoms of heat cramps, exhaustion, or heat stroke. What Does Urine Color Say About Your Hydration? Urine color says a lot about our hydration status. Generally, the lighter the color, the more hydrated you are. But why is that? Well, dehydration is caused when the volume of water in the body is depleted. And when we re dehydrated, our kidneys, which filter waste, tell the body to retain water. Therefore, we have less water in our urine, which causes it to become more concentrated and darker. This chart can help you determine if you re hydrated. It starts with normal, well-hydrated colors. But as you move down the list, dehydration becomes more severe; below the red line indicates dehydration. Understand the Symptoms of Dehydration Recognizing colors can be a helpful indicator, especially if you notice the change in color while other symptoms of dehydration are present. Dehydration symptoms include: Headache Thirst Light-headedness Dry mouth, dry nose Muscle Cramps Fewer trips to the bathroom Irritability/Confusion *Of course, abnormal urine color may indicate a health issue other than dehydration. Talk to your doctor if you re experiencing abnormal urine color.

4 Page 4 LAST MINUTE SAFETY ASSESSMENTS Last minute safety assessments (LMSAs) are one of the most important tools in the safe behavior toolbox. If performed correctly, a LMSA can prevent almost any type of loss or near loss. In fact an LMSA can prevent 98% of all losses or near losses by addressing the personal or job factors involved. The LMSA causes you to stop and focus on the task at hand. LMSAs should be performed by employees throughout the day. Specifically, employees should use the LMSA tool when starting a new task, when changing tasks throughout the day, when conditions change, etc. The general rule is that LMSAs should be performed All the time, everywhere. There are three steps involved in the performance of an LMSA. Step 1 - ASSESS The Assess step requires employees to ask two questions: What could go wrong? What s the worst thing that could happen? The goal of this step is to identify potential hazards before they happen. The employee should also identify the potential result if something was to go wrong. Employees should think about the personal consequences of an accident. Staying focused on a task reduces the chance of an incident occurring. Distractions cause us to loose focus on the task at hand that may result in an injury occurring. Step 2 - The analyze step requires that employees recall the hazards identified during the Assess step and ask two more questions relating to those hazards: Do I have the proper training to perform the job correctly? Do I have the proper tools and equipment to perform the job correctly? These two questions go straight to the root causes of incidents. When asking question 1, the employee should decide if they have the proper training and/or knowledge to perform the job correctly. Question 2, relates to the job factors and encourages the employee to review the equipment and procedures to ensure they are sufficient. Step 3 ACT! Take necessary Action to ensure the job is done safely! Follow written procedures! Ask for assistance, if needed! Once the employee can answer yes to both questions in step 2 he or she can move on to step three and act to ensure safe operations. The actions will include following the JSA and using the proper equipment. If the answer to either question in step 2 is no, then employee should either act to solve the problem or should contact someone who has the ability to affect change in the operation. Ardaman Health and Safety Recognition Awards A safety sticker was awarded to the following individuals: Reinaldo Rolo: For observation of an unsafe condition due to a fire extinguisher not properly secured in a vehicle. Employee notified the site lead to have the fire extinguisher secured. (Orlando) Randy Hunter: For recognition of a potential safety issue regarding clay materials being used on a job site ramp area and insufficient berming along the side of the access ramp. Employee notified the construction manager and the ramp was reconstructed properly. (Bartow) Jairin Wilson: For recognition of a potential struck by hazard due to two flaggers not communicating while performing traffic control. Ardaman technicians stopped what they were doing and had a discussion with the crew regarding their job responsibilities. (Cocoa) Cheryl VanArsdall: For recognition of a potential impact hazard due to another driver failing to obey the traffic control. Employee identified the distracted driver and maintained her position to avoid pulling out as the other driver failed to stop for the red light. (Bartow) Lee Tate: For recognition of poor body placement by helper. The crew chief identified that the driller s helper was using the incorrect hand that resulted in his body being in the line of fire of the auto hammer. Crew chief instructed the crew member on the proper hand location to remove exposure to the hazard. (Orlando) Alicia Luna: For observation of a brake light not working properly on another employee s vehicle. She notified the individual of the malfunctioning brake light. Linda Hunt: For recognition of unsafe conditions at the asphalt plant due to flooding in an area and other workers using wood planks to build make shift walkways to access the area. Employee notified the site manager of the unsafe acts and conditions that needed to be corrected. (Orlando) Answer: D Drink about 16 ounces before starting and 5 to 7 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during hot work activities. On average we lose 1 quart (32 oz.) of water per hour in hot conditions each day

5 Injury Incidents: Ardaman Update Page 5 Employee was in the process of removing the hammer/anvil rod section during drilling activities. He bent forward while setting the Anvil down on the break out table jaws and while straightening back up felt a sharp pain under his rib cage. When performing any lift, do not pivot or twist from your waist. The load must be kept close to the body and then lowered or raised by using your legs and knees only. First Aid Only. Employee was extruding a sample in the lab. The piston from the extruder jammed in the Shelby tube. The employee grabbed the Shelby tube and pulled to remove it. His right hand was at the end of the Shelby tube and when he pulled the Shelby tube free, his right pinkie was tucked around the end of the tube, it was pinched between the end of the tube and the extruder ring. Never keep your hands or body parts in the line of fire when operating equipment. Refer to JSA M-21 Extruder, for additional guidelines to perform this task safely. First Aid Only. Vehicle/Equipment Incidents: Employee was traveling along the interstate when he began approaching traffic. Our driver slowed down and was struck from behind by an inattentive driver. Employee was pulling off the roadway onto the job site. The support truck was towing a trailer and attempting to maneuver around a telephone pole while driving through a vegetative area. The trailer began to slide towards a ditch and our driver tried to keep the trailer from shifting. However, while pulling forward he struck a hidden water meter which caused the truck to bottom out and became stuck. When entering areas with vegetation or uneven surfaces always stop and survey the area by walking ahead to help identify issues or have a spotter direct your the vehicle along an established path. Employee was backing out of a parking spot at the office. Instead of backing out straight to the open area to turn the vehicle around, the employee attempted to make a 3 point turn in a tight and congested area of the parking lot. While backing, he struck the front grill of another parked vehicle. Avoid congested and tight areas when maneuvering a vehicle. When parking a vehicle, back into the spot to help reduce potential issues when exiting and to improve visibility when exiting a parking space. Employee was terminated based on previous history of vehicle incidents. Near Miss Miss/ Hazard Identification: Highlighted Near Misses from 22 reports received for the Month of April. The drill crew was on site drilling. While using the auto hammer, the driller s helper grabbed the auto hammer with his right hand and the auto hammer came out quickly towards him placing his body in the line of fire. The crew chief identified the issue and stopped work to show the helper the proper hand (left) to use so that his body was no longer in the line of fire. The proper technique removed the exposure to the hazard. Employee was monitoring a contractor demucking a house pad. The operator of the excavator struck an underground unmarked powerline and a large spark occurred resulting in the operator feeling a shock in the cab. Our employee was standing outside of the exclusion zone and was unharmed. When working around excavators and cranes, always establish an exclusion zone outside of the swing radius of the extended arm/derrick, maintain eye contact with the operator, and do not enter the exclusion zone unless the operator has placed the excavator bucket on the ground. Employee placed soil in the compaction mold form and was using his hand to even out the layer of soil. Soon after he removed his hand from the mold area, the hammer slipped from the grabber mechanism and fell 10 onto the soil. The lock/park mechanism was not engaged during the task. Remember to review JSAs prior to performing tasks and conduct a LMSA. JSA M-20 Mixing and Compacting Soil Samples specifically mentions in step 3.c, ensure locks are secure to prevent mold/hammer from moving during filling and use of the compactor. In step 4.b, use only a utensil (scoop or spoon with long handle) to fill the mold. Do not put hands and fingers in the mold area. Safety Audits: Identified Hazards from 13 Safety audits conducted in the month of March. Complacency: Employee did not perform a LMSA prior to starting work. A LMSA must be done before performing a task to help ensure an individual is focused and has taken actions to reduce exposures to hazards. Overexertion: Employee was lifting a file cabinet by himself. Company policy requires a team lift for objects greater than 50 lbs. A mechanical advantage should always be considered to reduce exposures. A hand truck or dolly should have been used.

6 May 2018 Safety Quiz Please circle the letter of the answer that fits best. Some answers can be found in the newsletter 1. If you notice a potentially hazardous situation or condition, you should take the time to report it and correct the situation if it is safe do so. A. True B. False 2. The best thing to drink to prevent heat stress is? A. Soft Drinks B. Water C. Alcohol D. Gatorade 3. Heat stroke occurs when body temperature rises to dangerous levels. A. False B. True 4. Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion/dizziness, vomiting, and? A. Cool, dry skin B. Hot, dry skin C. Cool, clammy skin D. Hot, clammy skin 5. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include? A. Cool and clammy skin B. Nausea C. Thirst D. All the above 6. When heat stroke symptoms occur, you should immediately? A. Drink cold water B. Call for medical attention and move worker to a cool place and try to cool them down C. Have them take a nap D. Nothing 7. How often should a Last Minute Safety Assessment be performed? A. Through out the work day B. Starting a new task C. When conditions change D. All the above 8. You should consult your physician to check any medications that you are taking that can become problematic if you are working outdoors in the heat, and if so, notify your supervisor. A. True B. False 9. If an employee is showing signs of heat exhaustion you should immediately? A. Move the worker to a shaded or cooler area B. Have the employee drink small amounts of room temperature water C. Have the employee rest until they fell better D. All the above 10. What precautions should be taken to reduce the likelihood of a heat related disorder from occurring when working in the heat? A. Wear light colored loose fitting clothing B. Drink at least 1 cup of water every minutes C. Take breaks in the shade or air conditioning D. All the above All Ardaman employees must complete the quiz and turn it in by the end of each month. For those individuals who cannot attend the monthly safety meeting please complete the quiz and submit it to your supervisor for approval. These will be sent to HR/H&S. All others must submit the quiz at the designated location at your office. The supervisor only needs to sign the quiz if you are unable to attend the meeting, you must explain the reason in the box below: Print Name Here Sign Name Here Date Supervisor Print Name Here Supervisor Sign Name Here Date