Summer Hazards for Workers
During the summer, more workers are performing job tasks outdoors. The types of jobs can vary greatly ranging from construction work to farming and other agricultural duties to road paving and painting. While the hazards can be different from those found in indoor environments, there are still practical ways to protect workers from outdoor hazards.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has worked to compile information regarding various outdoor work hazards and offer safety and health resources to assist employers and workers in avoiding these hazards.
During the summer months, heat illness (including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, cramps, and fatigue) is a prevalent issue for outdoor workers as well as those working indoors. It is not uncommon for outdoor workers to endure temperatures over 100° F during their work day. In another example, heating and air-conditioning contractors in home attics can encounter temperatures of 120° F or more. Many workers in foundries and mines work in hot conditions year round often made worse in the summer months. The NIOSH document Working in Hot Environments provides a detailed overview of the hazards of working in heat and offers prevention measures.
Tips for preventing heat illness include:
- Adjust work schedules to provide workers with a rest from the heat
- Postpone nonessential tasks
- Provide cool rest areas as well as shade and water for workers
- Wear proper protective clothing
- Ensure workers are drinking enough water to stay hydrated
- Allow workers time to acclimate to the hot environment
- Educate workers and supervisors to recognize heat illness and how to prevent it
NIOSH recently contributed to the development of the new Cal/OSHA Heat Illness eTool, which provides general information on heat illness and its causes in outdoor workplaces.
Other hazards faced by outdoor workers include exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which can cause sun burns and potentially skin cancer; noise, which may cause hearing damage; pesticides or other chemical hazards; as well as traumatic injury hazards and the potential for natural hazards such as lightning strikes.
In addition to the physical hazards described above, outdoor workers can face biological hazards such as vector-borne diseases, venomous wildlife and insects, and poisonous plants. Mosquito and tick bites can transfer disease-causing agents, such as West Nile virus or Lyme disease. Outdoor workers also have to be careful around venomous insects and wildlife. Poisonous spiders, snakes, and insects can be found throughout the U.S., varying with the geographic regions. These insects and animals can be especially dangerous to workers who may have a known or unknown allergy. Every year thousands of individuals are stung and as many as 40-50 people may die from severe allergic reactions. Poisonous plants, such as poison ivy, oak and sumac can cause allergic reactions if a worker's skin comes into contact with the leaves or stalks. If these plants or their leaves are burned, the toxins released can be inhaled by workers, causing rashes or lung irritations as a result. More information on all of the hazards described above can be found on the NIOSH topic page Hazards to Outdoor Workers.
As we have already seen this year, summer brings with it the risk of wildfires, storms, and floods. NIOSH offers resources for fighting wildfires and storm and flood cleanup. Among the many hazards associated with storms and floods is the use of gasoline powered generators, pumps and power tools. Using these devices in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces can lead to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning including permanent neurological damage and death. Carbon monoxide poisoning has also caused over 100 deaths and 600 illnesses on houseboats and other recreational boats due to hazardous levels of exhaust from generators and propulsion engines.
We have touched on many of the hazards encountered by outdoor workers. However, additional hazards may exist for particular outdoor jobs. NIOSH recommends that employers and workers be aware of and trained to recognize potential dangers associated with the outdoor work in which they may be engaged, of ways to identify those hazards, and ways to prevent risk of injury or illness.
What innovative practices, methods, or tools have you used, or are aware of, that have helped to protect workers from hazards of heat, insect-borne diseases, and other conditions associated with working outdoors? NIOSH is always interested in information that will help inform its ongoing research.
—Christina Bowles
Christina Bowles is a Health Communication Specialist at NIOSH. She has an M.A. in Health Communication and works in the Office of the Director in Washington, D.C.
See the Comment Policy
Comments
Another risk not well evaluated for summer job in agricultural tasks like harvest is the dust, specially with crystalline silica.
Posted 7/15/08 at 2:30 am
I myself have suffered from heat stroke and it is horrible. Although with all of the potential risks of working outdoors during the summer months I think that education is the best way to prevent it. A lot of people just don't know what to look for with heat stroke, or think that a little bee could cause loss of life.
I know that you folks already work diligently to educate others, hence this article, but this will never reach most of the people that actually work outdoors, so the question is how can you get the information to the people that need it?
Posted 7/24/08 at 9:57 am
Thank you for your comment. As you note, getting the information to workers and employers is critical to preventing these hazards. In addition to this blog post, NIOSH has multiple topic pages on its website dealing with these issues. As referenced in the blog, NIOSH was recently involved in the development of the new Cal/OSHA Heat Illness eTool which strives to educate workers and employers about the recognition and prevention of heat-related illness. Additionally, we have authored several articles in trade journals (American Association of Occupational Health Nurses and American Society of Safety Engineers) to further raise awareness. A recent NIOSH study in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report on heat-related deaths among crop workers received wide press coverage. NIOSH also continues to publish documents and other educational materials to help prevent heat-related illness and other summer hazards. We would welcome suggestions from those in the field as to how best communicate this important information.
Posted 7/24/08 at 4:32 pm
[My workplace] (name and address removed) has no air because its broke I just recently quit/fired.. and someone needs to say something to them.. when I worked there I got over heated and everything.. people get dizzy and sick.. HAZARD*
Posted 7/25/08 at 1:59 pm
*The comment author was provided with OSHA contact information as NIOSH is a research organization and OSHA is a regulatory and enforcement organization who has the authority to investigate worker complaints.
I am a graduate student in a risk assessment course at Old Dominion University. Additionally, I am employed in a full time position that requires me to be out in the elements of nature every day of the week. I am exposed to the physical hazards of extreme heat and cold, biological hazards such as poisonous plants and venomous wildlife, and occasionally some chemical (pesticides) and safety (trench) hazards. We know that the government has taken an interest in regulating product (i.e. food) safety, but generally has less to do with regulating the conditions in which workers, such as me, are exposed to when working outdoors. What role, if any, does NIOSH think the government should play in recognizing, evaluating and addressing the risks workers exposed to the elements see in the field? Within your research, have you found that education of or legislation requiring worker safety has made a bigger impact concerning the safety of workers exposed to nature?
Posted 10/8/08 at 10:21 pm
Thanks for your comments and your insights into outdoor work. NIOSH is dedicated to studying workplace safety and health and, with its partners, is committed to preventing occupational injuries and illnesses for all workers.
The federal government is involved in the regulation of outdoor workplaces. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are required by law to provide workplaces free from recognized hazards. The law does not distinguish between indoor and outdoor work. It sets a framework under which NIOSH has responsibility for conducting research and making science-based recommendations, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for setting and enforcing regulations. For an authoritative response on regulatory issues, such as mandatory requirements for employers pertinent to outdoor work, we would refer those questions to OSHA. NIOSH's work in conducting research for better understanding specific outdoor work hazards, developing recommendations from that research, and providing authoritative resources to employers and workers is reflected in our web topic page for outdoor workers. We are unaware of any research examining whether education or legislation has 'made a bigger impact' concerning safety in outdoor work. As a rule, regulation, research, education, training, and legislation all have roles in addressing workplace hazards. How they are applied in a given situation, and which will be most effective in that situation, likely will depend on the specific circumstances of the situation.
Posted 10/13/08 at 1:28 pm