HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION POLICY 1
Contents 1 PURPOSE... 3 2 SCOPE... 3 3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBLITIES... 3 4 PROVISION OF WATER... 3 5 ACCESS TO SHADE... 4 6 SITE-SPECIFIC HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION PROCEDURE... 4 7 HIGH HEAT PROCEDURES... 5 8 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES... 5 9 HANDLING A SICK EMPLOYEE... 5 10 TRAINING... 6 2
1 PURPOSE This policy establishes procedures to protect employees from heat-related injuries and illness. The policy is accessible to all interested persons, including employees and enforcing agencies. 2 SCOPE 2.1 This policy applies to all Tetra Pak Inc. locations and includes employees and contractors working at customer or project sites. 2.2 Copies of this policy shall be made available for review to all Tetra Pak Inc. employees and their designated representatives. 2.3 This policy shall be effective July 20, 2015. 3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBLITIES 3.1 Occupational Health & Safety Officer 3.1.1 Coordinating and maintaining training required by this policy. 3.1.2 Investigating heat-related incidents. 3.2 Project Managers and Site Responsible 3.2.1 Implementing the requirements of this plan at customer and project sites. 3.2.2 Monitoring workplace conditions and employees for signs and symptoms of heat illness. 3.2.3 Establishing site-specific heat illness prevention and emergency response procedures prior to commencing work. 3.2.4 Completing the training requirements of this policy. 3.3 Employees 3.3.1 Immediately reporting signs or symptoms of heat illnesses in themselves or observed on others. 3.3.2 Complying with the site-specific heat illness prevention procedure developed by the Site Responsible. 3.3.3 Completing the training requirements of this policy. 4 PROVISION OF WATER Employees shall have access to potable water. Water shall be provided in sufficient quantity at the beginning of the work shift to equal one quart per employee per hour for drinking the entire shift for a total of 2 gallons (7.6 liters) per employee per 8-hour shift. Employees may begin the shift with smaller quantities of water if effective procedures for replenishing water during the shift have been implemented to provide employees one quart or more per hour. When heat indices exceed 95 F (35 C), the frequency for water breaks shall be increased and employees shall be reminded to drink water throughout the shift. 3
5 ACCESS TO SHADE Employees suffering from heat illness or believing a preventative recovery period is needed shall be provided access to an area with shade, at or below 80 degrees Fahrenheit the employee shall have timely access to shade upon request. For temperatures at or above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, one or more areas with shade shall be provided at all times while employees are present. Shade shall accommodate the number of employees on recovery or rest periods.. The area of shade that is either open to the air or provided with ventilation or cooling for a period of no less than five minutes. Such access to shade shall be permitted at all times. Shade areas can include trees, buildings, canopies, lean-tos, or other partial and/or temporary structures that are either ventilated or open to air movement. The interior of cars or trucks shall not be considered shade unless the vehicles are air conditioned or kept from heating up in the sun in some other way. Shade structures shall be open and placed as close as practical to employees when heat indices exceed 85 F (29.4 C) and shall accommodate at least 25% of employees and contractors on shift at any one time. 6 SITE-SPECIFIC HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION PROCEDURE When heat indices exceed 85 F (29.4 C), Tetra Pak Inc. Site Representatives shall develop site-specific heat illness prevention procedures. The procedure shall include a combination of the following heat illness prevention methods: 6.1 Engineering controls: 6.1.1 Increasing airflow using fans or opening doors and windows 6.1.2 Employing air conditioning to control temperature and humidity 6.1.3 Using of power tools to reduce manual labor. 6.1.4 Providing shade from the sun or shielding from radiant heat sources 6.2 Administrative controls: 6.2.1 Arranging Buddy systems where employees observe fellow employees for early signs and symptoms of heat intolerance such as weakness, unsteady gait, irritability, disorientation, changes in skin color, or general malaise. 6.2.2 Establishing work/rest regiments to allow employees to recover in a cooled environment while performing manual work. Rest periods should increase as temperature and/ or intensity of manual work increases. 6.2.3 Allowing employees to physiologically adjust or acclimatize over a minimum of three days. 6.2.4 Scheduling heavy work to take place during the coolest part of the day. 6.2.5 Reminding employees during pre-shift tailgates to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and heat stress hygiene practices, such as the importance of fluid and salt replacement. 6.3 Work practice controls 6.3.1 Immediately reporting signs or symptoms of heat stress exposure to a supervisor. 4
6.3.2 Drinking adequate amounts (about 150 to 200 ml or 5 to 7 ounces) of cool (10 to 15 C or 50 to 59 F) water every 15 to 20 minutes. 6.3.3 Wearing clothing that is breathable and provides protection from the sun. 7 HIGH HEAT PROCEDURES High heat procedures are additional preventative measures that must be implemented when the heat index equals or exceeds 95 F (35 C). 7.1 Effective communication by voice, observation, or electronic means shall be maintained, so that employees at the worksite can contact a supervisor when necessary. If the supervisor is unable to be near the workers (to observe them or communicate with them), then an electronic device, such as a cell phone or text messaging device, may be used for this purpose if reception in the area is reliable. 7.2 Frequent communication shall be maintained with employees working by themselves or in smaller groups (keeping tabs on them via phone or two-way radio), to be on the lookout for possible symptoms of heat illness. 7.3 Employees shall be observed for alertness and signs and symptoms of heat illness. When the supervisor is not available, an alternate responsible person may be assigned, to look for signs and symptoms of heat illness. Such a designated observer shall be trained and know what steps to take if heat illness occurs. 7.4 Employees shall be reminded throughout the work shift to drink plenty of water. 7.5 New employees shall be closely supervised, or assigned a buddy or more experienced co-worker for the first 14 days of the employment (unless the employee indicates at the time of hire that he or she has been doing similar outdoor work for at least 10 of the past 30 days for four or more hours per day). 8 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES Emergency response procedures shall be established prior to commencing work in environmental conditions that expose employees to an increased risk of suffering from heatrelated illnesses. Such emergency response procedures shall establish: 8.1 Means of reporting heat-related illnesses to onsite supervisors; 8.2 Means for contacting emergency response services to transport employees to medical care; 8.3 First aid personnel and materials required to treat employees suffering from heat-illness; and 8.4 Recovery locations to keep employees showing signs and symptoms of possible heat illness cool and comfortable while awaiting emergency service providers to arrive at site. 9 HANDLING A SICK EMPLOYEE 9.1 When an employee displays possible signs or symptoms (loss of consciousness, incoherent speech, convulsions, red and hot face) of heat illness, a trained first aid 5
worker or supervisor shall check the sick employee and determine whether resting in the shade and drinking cool water will suffice or if emergency service providers will need to be called. A sick worker must not be left alone in the shade or allowed to leave the site. 9.2 When an employee displays possible signs or symptoms of heat illness and no trained first aid worker or supervisor is available at the site, emergency service providers shall be called. If the employee can move on his or her own, then drive him or her to the nearest medical treatment center. If the employee is unconscious or unable to move on his or her own, call for ambulance service. 9.3 While the ambulance is in route to pick up the sick employee, first aid shall be initiated and the sick employee shall be cooled by placing him or her in the shade, removing excess layers of clothing, placing ice pack in the armpits and groin area and fanning the victim. 10 TRAINING 10.1 All employees that may work in hot environments shall be trained on Tetra Pak Inc. s Heat Illness Prevention Plan. Training topics shall include: 10.1.1 Workplace conditions that increase the risk for heat illness; 10.1.2 Controls to prevent heat illness; 10.1.3 Importance of hydration and drinking up to 32 ounces (0.95 liters) of water per hour; 10.1.4 Acclimation to elevated temperatures; 10.1.5 Signs and symptoms of heat illness, such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat rash; 10.1.6 Procedures for immediately reporting and responding to signs on symptoms of heat illness; and 10.1.7 Procedures for contacting emergency personnel and specific information to provide to the medical treatment provider. 10.2 Prior to supervising projects, Project Managers and Site Responsible shall additionally be trained on: 10.2.1 Procedures to follow when employees exhibit signs and symptoms consistent with heat illness; and 10.2.2 Monitoring work sites for conditions that increase the risk for heat illness. 6