Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Purpose:

The purpose of this Heat Illness Prevention Plan is to educate Willamette University employees on the hazards associated with working in the heat in compliance with Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule OAR 437-002-0156.

This plan applies to employer-directed work activities, whether in indoor or outdoor environments, where the Heat Index (apparent temperature) equals or exceeds 80° F.

1. Exemptions - the following workplaces and operations are exempt from the requirements set forth in OAR 437-002-0156:
   1. Incidental heat exposures where an employee is not required to perform work activities for more than 15 minutes in any 60-minute period.
   2. Exposures to heat generated from the work process itself.
   3. Emergency operations directly involved in the protection of life or property, or the restoration of essential services - such as evacuation, rescue, firefighting, law enforcement, etc.
   4. Buildings and structures that have a mechanical ventilation system that keeps the Heat Index below 80° F.
   5. Employees performing either Rest or Light workloads, as defined on the last page of this plan, are exempt from this rule only when the Heat Index is less than 90° F.
   6. Employees working from home are subject only to the training requirements of this rule.
2. Heat Index Monitoring - Supervisors are responsible for monitoring the Heat Index in real time to implement high heat practices when required. Monitoring must be performed using one of the following methods:
   • OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App
   • National Weather Service Forecast
   • Oregon School Activities Association
3. Key Requirements - Employees working in an environment that has a Heat Index that meets or exceeds 80° F., must have:
   1. Adequate access to shade that is:
      • Open to the outside air (at least three open sides) or have mechanical ventilation for cooling
      • Located as close as practical to the areas where employees are working
      • Accommodates the number of employees on recovery, rest, or meal periods so they have room to sit
   2. Drinking water that is cool or cold - plumbed drinking water is available to campus employees at various campus locations
      • For employees that do not have access to plumbed drinking water, a supply of 32 ounces (at no cost) per hour is required
   3. Annual Training - human resources provides annual training on Heat Illness to employees through Workday
4. High Heat Practices - when the Heat Index meets or exceeds 90° F., supervisors will implement these additional practices:
   1. Designate and equip one or more employees at each site who can call for emergency medical services and allow other employees to call for emergency services when designated employees are not immediately available
   2. Ensure effective communication methods are in place for affected employees, so that employees can contact a supervisor when necessary. Acceptable communication methods include:
      • In person
      • By phone (text messaging is acceptable if cell service is constant and reliable)
      • By radio
   3. Ensure that employees are monitored for signs of Heat Illness, and whether medical attention is necessary, by either:
      • Regularly communicating with employees working alone
      • Implementing a mandatory buddy system
      • Or using an equally effective means of observation or communication
   4. Ensure that each employee takes Heat Illness prevention rest breaks as shown in the table below. Supervisors will adjust the the work/rest schedule to account for the following:
      • Effect of personal protective equipment
      • Effect of work clothing
      • The relative humidity
      • The intensity of the work being performed

5. Emergency Medical Plan - Employees experiencing Heat Illness symptoms must be monitored and shall not be left alone or sent home without being offered on-site first aid or provided with emergency medical services. If there are signs or symptoms of severe Heat Illness, or stroke, the following emergency response procedures must be implemented:
   1. Contact emergency medical services by dialing 911
   2. After emergency services are notified, call Campus Safety at 503-370-6911
   3. Administer appropriate first aid until medical responders arrive
   4. Notify your supervisor
6. Acclimatization Plan - When the ambient Heat Index meets or exceeds 80° F., employers must implement an Acclimatization plan that allows employees to gradually adapt to the heat. Employees must be closely monitored by a supervisor or designee during the Acclimatization period. The Acclimatization plan may include any combination of the following methods:
   1. Gradually increasing employee exposure to hot environments
   2. Changing work schedules to avoid the hottest part of the day
   3. Modifying work tasks to be in shaded areas and/or where the less physically active tasks occur during the hottest part of the day
   4. Considering the use of cooling garments
   5. Allowing employees who have been away from work for over 7 days to reacclimate
   6. Limiting new employees to 20% of work in the hot environment and increases this percentage by no more than 20% daily until employee is fully acclimated
7. Definitions
   • Acclimatization means the process of adapting the body to the new climate or conditions by slowly increasing exposure to heat over a period of time.
   • Apparent Temperature – what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. Also known as ‘Heat Index.’
   • Heat Illness means medical conditions resulting from the body’s inability to cope with a particular heat load. Examples of heat illness include minor conditions such as heat rash and heat cramps and serious conditions including heat exhaustion, heat syncope, and heat stroke.
   • Heat Index means a combination of the ambient temperature with the relative humidity. It is sometimes referred to as the “apparent temperature”.
   • Light Work means work that consists of primarily sitting and thinking.
   • Rest Work means work that consists of sitting with minimal hand/arm work, writing, driving, and intermittent walking, stooping, crouching, kneeling, or standing.