OSHA Offers Tips To Keep Outdoor Workers Cool

Dee Duren, NewsOn6.com

UNDATED -- "Water. Rest. Shade. The work can't get done without them."

That's the slogan of a campaign launched by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration to prevent heat illness in outdoor workers.

The campaign is intended to "get the word out about educating the public, especially those with outdoor jobs such as construction workers, car salesmen, roofers and landscapers, on how to prevent heat illness, as well as informing their employers about their responsibilities," according to Juan Rodriguez with the U.S. Department of Labor.

7/22/2011 Related Story: EMSA: 201 Patients Treated For Heat-Related Illness This Summer

Each year, thousands of outdoor workers experience heat illness in the form of heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion can become heat stroke, which killed more than 30 workers in 2010, according to OSHA.

The outreach campaign provides work place posters and other publications employers can have on site listing the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Outdoor workers should:

• Drink water every 15 minutes whether thirsty or not
• Watch out for signs of heat-related illness in co-workers
• Take rest breaks in the shade
• Wear hats and light-colored clothing
• Have a plan in place if workers do suffer from heat problems

Find out more about OSHA's "Water. Rest. Shade." campaign.