Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupation Safety and Health Administration will be conducting a national outreach initiative in an attempt to help to educate workers and employers about the hazards of outdoor work. Proper precautionary steps need to be taken by those working outdoors in an effort to reduce the risks of heat-related illnesses and other work injuries in Boston and elsewhere.

"If you're working outdoors, you're at risk for heat-related illnesses that can cause serious medical problems and even death," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "But heat illness can be prevented. This Labor Department campaign will reach across the country with a very simple message - water, rest and shade."

Our Boston workers' compensation lawyers understand that working conditions can vary tremendously for outdoor workers. It is recommended that such workers educate themselves about proper measures to protect their health in all working conditions, especially during the hotter months.

Thousands of workers experience heat illness each year. The illnesses often manifest as heat exhaustion. If you suffer from heat exhaustion on the job and do not address it quickly, you greatly increase your risks for experiencing a heat stroke. This is a serious problem as heat strokes killed more than 30 workers last year.

"As we move into the summer months, it is very important for workers and employers to take the steps necessary to stay safe in extreme heat," said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. "Drinking water often, taking breaks and limiting time in the heat are simple, effective ways to prevent heat illness."

Heat dangers strongly affect those who work as landscapers, construction workers, road repairmen, outdoor airport luggage workers, agriculture workers and even car salesmen.

OSHA developed various heat illness educational materials in both English and Spanish. They've also created a version of it as a curriculum to be used for workplace training. Additionally, they offer a new heat illness Web page that provides information and resources on heat illness. This information includes ways to help prevent it and what to do in the event of extensive heat exposure.

OSHA is currently partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help to efficiently provide weather service alerts that incorporate worker safety precautions when heat alerts are issued across the country. More information regarding heat illnesses and worker safety can be found on the NOAA Heat Watch Web page.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention would like to remind workers that heat stroke is the most serious heat-related disorder. It affects outdoor workers and those who work in extremely hot areas. It happens when the body becomes unable to control its temperature. Body temperature will rise rapidly, the sweating mechanism will fail and the body is unable to cool down. At times, during heat stroke, the body temperature can rise to more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit in a 10 to 15 minute period. Illness from this type of heat can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not given.