Summer outdoor workers are exposed to dangerous weather hazards – extreme heat and sun exposure. Understanding the risks, prevention, and signs and symptoms can help workers stay safe while working in hot outdoor environments.
Workers who work in hot environments indoors or outdoors, or even those engaged in strenuous physical activities, may be at risk for heat stress.
The different types of heat illness include: heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat cramps, heat rashes, and heat stroke. Heat can also increase workers’ risk of injuries, as it may result in sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, dizziness, and may reduce brain function responsible for reasoning ability, creating additional hazards.
Falls are the most common causes of serious work related injuries and deaths. Every year, hundreds of construction workers are killed on the job and more than a third die from falls, the number one cause of accidental deaths in the industry.
National Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down Week is the time to raise fall hazard awareness and that every injury or death from a fall is preventable with proper training and the use of appropriate fall protection.
Trenching and excavation hazards are one of the most hazardous construction operations and injuries and fatalities have been on the rise in recent years. The primary hazard of trenching and excavation is employee injury or death from collapse or cave-in.
The lockout/tagout standard establishes the employer’s responsibility to protect employees from hazardous energy sources on machines and equipment during service and maintenance.
Construction safety education and training are important tools for informing workers and managers about hazards and controls so they can work more safely and be more productive.
OSHA recommends Outreach training as an orientation to occupational safety and health for workers. Some states require OSHA Outreach training and have enacted laws mandating the 10hr and/or 30hr OSHA training requirements. Likewise, some employers, unions, organizations or other jurisdictions may also require OSHA Outreach training.