Top Heat Stress Safety Tips for Schools

School staff working outdoors or in hot indoor areas face heat stress risks year-round, especially in Texas, which ranks among the hottest states. Heat stress happens when sweat can't evaporate, raising core temperature. Symptoms include thirst, fatigue, cramps, confusion, and even death.

At-Risk Work Groups

Heat stress can affect anyone, but the risk increases for employees who work outdoors, around heat-generating equipment, and in areas that have poor ventilation or HVAC systems (including classrooms):

• Groundskeeping
• Maintenance
• Transportation
• Custodial
• Food service
• Administrators and teachers working after-school pickup-lines

Some medications and medical conditions increase the risk of heat stress. Examples include heart disease, mental illness, poor blood circulation, and obesity.

Why a Formal Safety Plan?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration tells the story of a 42-year-old roofer who said goodbye to his family one July morning and left for his third day on the job. His employer provided plenty of water, ice, and sports drinks. What they didn’t provide was a formal safety plan.

That afternoon, the man told his co-workers he felt hot and sick. He later died of heat stroke.

Core Elements of Heat Stress Safety Plans

A heat safety plan equips employees to protect themselves and co-workers.

Training

Teach employees how to do their jobs safely, understand heat stress risk factors, and recognize and respond to heat stress. Have supervisors start the workday with a quick “tailgate meeting” to remind employees about safety procedures.

Pro tip: Assign employees to work in pairs and monitor each other for heat stress. That's especially important for employees who work in remote areas.

Acclimatization

Between 50 and 70 percent of heat stress fatalities happen during the first few days of hot weather, according to OSHA. Acclimatization allows the body to gradually adjust to heat and humidity.

Examples of acclimatization include gradually increasing workloads and scheduling more-physical work during cooler times of the day.

Consider applying acclimatization strategies for:

• All employees before summer weather ramps up
• New employees who aren’t used to working in heat and humidity
• Current employees returning from extended leave or working in hot environments for the first time, including administrators and teachers working after-school pick-up lines

Pro tip: Don't rely exclusively on the thermometer to gauge heat stress risk. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity, reflects how hot it feels. Remember that heat index doesn’t account for wind, sunlight, heat-producing equipment, or workload.

Water, Rest, Shade

OSHA’s annual heat safety campaign underscores the importance of three simple, powerful preventative measures:

Water. Employees should drink at least 8 ounces of water every 20 minutes while working in the heat, even if they’re not thirsty, according to OSHA.

Rest/Shade. Regularly scheduled breaks in cooler areas such as in the shade, a tent, an area with misters and fans, or an air-conditioned trailer give the body time to cool down. If cooler areas aren’t available, breaks should last longer. Make it clear that skipping breaks violates district policy.

Protective Gear

One summer in Texas is all it takes to understand that choosing proper clothing and equipment is critical:

• Wear loose, light-colored cotton clothes and brimmed hats to aid cooling.
• Use sunglasses, reflective clothing, cooling wraps, and sunscreen for sun protection.
• Consider canopies, misting fans, and cooling vests for added protection.

Pro tip: Remember that some protective gear ramps up the risk of heat stress. For example, dark-colored hard hats could retain more heat than their light-colored counterparts.

Indoor Employee Safety

Staff in kitchens, boiler rooms, and similar areas need cooling and ventilation::

• Use air conditioning, general ventilation, cooling fans, and evaporative cooling when possible.
• Install protective shields around heat-producing equipment.
• Increase insulation on furnace walls.
• Add exhaust hoods over areas that release moisture to reduce humidity.
• Eliminate steam leaks.

You Don’t Have to Reinvent the Wheel

Consider using these free resources to protect your employees from heat stress this summer:

• Heat Safety App
• Heat Illness Prevention Campaign
• Heat Stress Safety Training Program

As always, our risk solutions consultants are here to help members identify and manage workplace hazards. Reach out any time you need guidance, training, or resources.