GeoHealth (Aug 2021)
Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers
- Margaret C. Morrissey,
- Douglas J. Casa,
- Gabrielle J. Brewer,
- William M. Adams,
- Yuri Hosokawa,
- Courteney L. Benjamin,
- Andrew J. Grundstein,
- David Hostler,
- Brendon P. McDermott,
- Meredith L. McQuerry,
- Rebecca L. Stearns,
- Erica M. Filep,
- David W. DeGroot,
- Juley Fulcher,
- Andreas D. Flouris,
- Robert A. Huggins,
- Brenda L. Jacklitsch,
- John F. Jardine,
- Rebecca M. Lopez,
- Ronda B. McCarthy,
- Yannis Pitsiladis,
- Riana R. Pryor,
- Zachary J. Schlader,
- Caroline J. Smith,
- Denise L. Smith,
- June T. Spector,
- Jennifer K. Vanos,
- W. Jon Williams,
- Nicole T. Vargas,
- Susan W. Yeargin
Affiliations
- Margaret C. Morrissey
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- Douglas J. Casa
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- Gabrielle J. Brewer
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- William M. Adams
- Department of Kinesiology University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro NC USA
- Yuri Hosokawa
- Faculty of Sports Sciences Waseda University Saitama Japan
- Courteney L. Benjamin
- Department of Kinesiology Samford University Birmingham AL USA
- Andrew J. Grundstein
- Department of Geography The University of Georgia Athens GA USA
- David Hostler
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Center for Research and Education in Special Environments Buffalo NY USA
- Brendon P. McDermott
- Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
- Meredith L. McQuerry
- Retail Entrepreneurship Florida State University Tallahassee FL USA
- Rebecca L. Stearns
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- Erica M. Filep
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- David W. DeGroot
- Fort Benning Heat Center Martin Army Community Hospital Fort Benning GA USA
- Juley Fulcher
- Public Citizen Washington DC USA
- Andreas D. Flouris
- Department of Exercise Science FAME Laboratory University of Thessaly Trikala Greece
- Robert A. Huggins
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- Brenda L. Jacklitsch
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Cincinnati OH USA
- John F. Jardine
- Department of Kinesiology Korey Stringer Institute University of Connecticut Mansfield CT USA
- Rebecca M. Lopez
- School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Morsani College of Medicine University of South Florida Tampa FL USA
- Ronda B. McCarthy
- Medical Surveillance Services Concentra Waco TX USA
- Yannis Pitsiladis
- Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine University of Brighton Brighton UK
- Riana R. Pryor
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Center for Research and Education in Special Environments Buffalo NY USA
- Zachary J. Schlader
- Department of Kinesiology School of Public Health Indiana University Bloomington IA USA
- Caroline J. Smith
- Department of Health and Exercise Science Appalachian State University Boone NC USA
- Denise L. Smith
- Department of Health and Human Physiological Sciences First Responder Health and Safety Laboratory Skidmore College Saratoga Springs NY USA
- June T. Spector
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences School of Public Health University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Jennifer K. Vanos
- School of Sustainability Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
- W. Jon Williams
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pittsburgh PA USA
- Nicole T. Vargas
- Faculty of Health Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
- Susan W. Yeargin
- Department of Exercise Science Arnold School of Public Health University of South Carolina Columbia SC USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000443
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 5,
no. 8
pp. n/a – n/a
Abstract
Abstract The purpose of this consensus document was to develop feasible, evidence‐based occupational heat safety recommendations to protect the US workers that experience heat stress. Heat safety recommendations were created to protect worker health and to avoid productivity losses associated with occupational heat stress. Recommendations were tailored to be utilized by safety managers, industrial hygienists, and the employers who bear responsibility for implementing heat safety plans. An interdisciplinary roundtable comprised of 51 experts was assembled to create a narrative review summarizing current data and gaps in knowledge within eight heat safety topics: (a) heat hygiene, (b) hydration, (c) heat acclimatization, (d) environmental monitoring, (e) physiological monitoring, (f) body cooling, (g) textiles and personal protective gear, and (h) emergency action plan implementation. The consensus‐based recommendations for each topic were created using the Delphi method and evaluated based on scientific evidence, feasibility, and clarity. The current document presents 40 occupational heat safety recommendations across all eight topics. Establishing these recommendations will help organizations and employers create effective heat safety plans for their workplaces, address factors that limit the implementation of heat safety best‐practices and protect worker health and productivity.
Keywords
