The onslaught of sizzling temperatures has WorkSafeBC warning employers and employees alike to make sure they avoid heat exhaustion.
Prevention Field Services Director, Dan Strand says employers need to take the necessary precautions to protect workers.
“Recognize again that you have to monitor the heat conditions, and look at the workers who are working alone, who may not actually have frequent contact. Also, you’re looking at first aid coverage, emergency procedures, and changing work practice per se, if necessary, and determining work-rest cycles to limit that exposure.”
Strand says, it is a two way street, so employees need to be sure they’re not overdoing things when temperatures rise.
“Workers do have a voice in this, and some of the steps that they can take is drink plenty of water, and wear light coloured, loose fitting clothing, take the rest breaks in that cool, well ventilated area, and possibly do the hardest physical work in the coolest parts of the day before 11 a.m.”
Strand says of the 30 accepted heat related injury claims they had last year, they were mostly linked to landscaping, welding, forestry, and construction.