Heat Illness is a serious medical condition resulting from the body's inability to cope with a heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, and heat stroke. People suffer from heat illness when their bodies are not able to get rid of excess heat and properly cool.

When the body starts to overheat the heart beats faster and blood flows from the core to the outer layers of the skin. If this process does not cool the body fast enough the brain triggers sweating to cool the body. The sweat evaporates and releases the heat from the body. During heavy work in hot weather, the body can easily sweat out one quart of water an hour. The physiological strain on the body from heat illness may cause the person to become dehydrated, weak, tired, and confused.

Heat illness is caused by a combination of environmental and personal risk factors including:

To prevent heat illness contractors should:

• Provide sufficient cool water and encourage employees to drink it.
• Provide shade or other cooling measures.
• Encourage employees to take breaks and lunch in the shade.
• Adjust work hours and duration during high heat.
• Monitor employees who are not acclimatized.
• Have emergency procedures planned out.
• Train on the signs and symptoms of heat illness and what can be done to prevent it.

Cal/OSHA requires contractors to have a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan, training materials, and other resources to help prevent heat illness.

• DOSH - Publications, Research and Education
• Heat Illness Prevention Training for Employers
• Cal/OSHA Training Academy - Welcome