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AGRICULTURAL SAFETY TOPICS – HEAT STRESS 3 130-011-17-IADO © 2014, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) 1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | www.wsps.ca Heat exhaustion first aid: Move the victim to a cool place. Keep the victim lying down with legs straight and elevated 8-12 inches (20-30cm). Cool the victim by applying cold packs or wet towels or cloths. Fan the victim. Give the victim cold water if he or she is fully conscious. If no improvement is noted within 30 minutes, seek medical attention. When possible, schedule heavy tasks and work requiring protective gear for cooler, morning or evening hours. Prolonged, extreme hot temperatures mandate the postponement of nonessential tasks. Most protective garments limit sweat evaporation (but not sweat production) and chemical-resistant suits can cause rapid dehydration if sweat is not replaced. When wearing PPE, one way to slow the buildup of heat is to use special cooling garments. Review the Following Points: Heat stress is serious and should be handled as such. As strain from heat increases, body temperature and heart rate can rise rapidly. Exposure to heat can be serious to children and adults. Have plenty of liquids available and administer first aid as needed. Never ignore anyone's signs or symptoms of heat related disorders. © Workplace Safety & Prevention Services 2014. Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) grants permission to approved end users to reproduce this document in whole or in part, provided its intended use is for non-commercial, educational purposes and that full acknowledgement is given to the WSPS. Approved end users are firms registered with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. WSPS reserves the right to extend this permission to other stakeholders and interested parties by express written permission upon application. WSPS extends no warranty to materials amended or altered by the end user. Under no circumstances is this document, or any portion thereof, to be duplicated for purposes of sale or for external reproduction or distribution. (Sample WSPS acknowledgement, "Reproduced or adapted from name of solution with permission of Workplace Safety & Prevention Services, Mississauga, Ontario.") The information contained in this reference material is distributed as a guide only. It is generally current to the best of our knowledge as at the revision date, having been compiled from sources believed to be reliable and to represent the best current opinion on the subject. No warranty, guarantee, or representation is made by WSPS as to the absolute correctness or sufficiency of any representation contained in this reference material. WSPS assumes no responsibility in connection therewith; nor can it be assumed that all acceptable safety measures are contained in this reference material, or that other or additional measures may not be required in particular or exceptional conditions or circumstances. Revised: November 2014 Based upon: Ohio State University Extension. Heat Stress. Retrieved from website http://ohioline.osu.edu/atts/modules.html wsps.ca

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