Province reminds employers of responsibilities to protect workers from heat

'It is crucial that employers and workers collaborate to minimize heat-related risks'

BY Jim Wilson 22 Jul. 2024

The Alberta government is emphasizing employers’ responsibilities to protect workers as temperatures rise across the province, providing a potential hazard for workers who work in dangerous heat levels.

"Alberta summers can present safety risks for those working outdoors or in hot environments,” said Matt Jones, minister of jobs, economy and trade. “It is crucial that employers and workers collaborate to minimize heat-related risks. It is our goal that every worker returns home safely after each and every work day.”

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to assess hazards and take all reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of workers.

Understanding the health risks involved with working in extreme temperatures can help employers protect their workers, the government noted. However, while this information is most relevant to outdoor workers, it may also help workers in hot indoor environments, according to the government.

Recently, a group promoting the cause of migrant workers in Canada called on the Ontario government to better protect migrant farm workers from the risk of heat stress by passing legislation for that specific purpose.

Employers and workers should be aware of the early signs of heat stress and treat it immediately, according to the Alberta government. Signs include:

irritability
headache
dizziness and fatigue
heavy sweating
dehydration (may include a reduced ability to sweat)
muscle cramps
heat rash

“These symptoms can progress to heat stroke, a life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical attention,” according to the government.

How can we protect workers from heat stress?

Here are some things that employers can do to protect workers from heat stress, according to the Alberta government:

Reduce physical activity demands on workers, change the work location to a cooler, shaded area and create a cooling station where workers can rest.
Use a work/rest schedule with extra breaks if needed.
Allow workers to acclimatize by gradually increasing the time spent working outdoors or in other hot environments.
Schedule physically demanding jobs for cooler times of the day.
Start the work day earlier when it’s cooler and end the work day before the heat hits its peak.
Train and educate workers to recognize signs of heat stress.

Meanwhile, here are the things that workers can do to protect themselves from heat stress, according to the government:

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Wear suitable clothing for the heat in combination with any needed personal protective equipment.
Alert their supervisor or employer if they’re feeling heat stress symptoms.
Work at a pace that does not produce heat stress symptoms.

“Susceptibility to heat-related injury or illness varies from person to person. Factors such as age, medical conditions, general health and fitness level and whether a worker is acclimatized to heat can make people more or less susceptible to feeling extreme heat,” said the Alberta government.

Alberta is also providing stakeholders with resources about working in extreme temperatures and working in summer.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) noted that employers can prevent the risk of heat stress by implementing the following engineering controls:

Reducing Metabolic Heat Production (heat produced by the body): Automation and mechanization of tasks minimize the need for heavy physical work and the resulting buildup of body heat.
Reducing the Radiant Heat Emission from Hot Surfaces: Covering hot surfaces with sheets of low-emissivity material such as aluminum or paint that reduces the amount of heat radiated from this hot surface into the workplace.
Insulating Hot Surfaces: Insulation reduces the heat exchange between the source of heat and the work environment.
Shielding: Shields stop radiated heat from reaching workstations. Two types of shields can be used. Stainless steel, aluminum or other bright metal surfaces reflect heat back towards the source. Absorbent shields, such as water-cooled jackets made of black-surfaced aluminum, can effectively absorb and carry away heat.
Ventilation and Air Conditioning: Ventilation, localized air conditioning, and cooled observation booths are commonly used to provide cool workstations. Cooled observation booths allow workers to cool down after brief periods of intense heat exposure while still allowing them to monitor equipment.
Reducing the Humidity: Air conditioning, dehumidification, and elimination of open hot water baths, drains, and leaky steam valves help reduce humidity.

Previously, the United Nations (UN) warned that the world is ushering an era of "global boiling," which could risk workers collapsing from scorching heat.