Heat Illness Prevention: What Warehousing and Manufacturing Leaders Should Do Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Does heat illness prevention need to cover indoor work areas too?

Yes. The post says heat prevention should cover both indoor and outdoor work areas, including production areas, loading docks, mezzanines, enclosed spaces, and areas near heat-producing equipment.

What heat trigger levels should supervisors use on a warehouse or manufacturing site?

The post recommends site-specific trigger thresholds tied to required actions. It describes a tiered approach with baseline, elevated, high-heat, and stop-and-reassess levels so supervisors know when to add controls, limit work, or change the plan.

Who should be included in an acclimatization plan?

The post says acclimatization should cover new hires, temporary workers unfamiliar with site conditions, employees returning from time away, workers reassigned to hotter or more demanding tasks, and employees working during the first major heat events of the season.

What should a heat illness emergency response plan include?

It should define how workers report symptoms, who assesses the situation, how to contact medical help or emergency services, how to move someone to a cooler area, what cooling measures are available, and who directs responders to the location. The post also says the plan should be written, trained, and drilled.

What documentation should we keep for a heat illness prevention program?

The post says employers should be able to show how heat hazards were evaluated, what trigger thresholds were selected, what controls apply at each level, how training was delivered, how acclimatization is tracked, and how incidents, near misses, and symptom reports are reviewed. It also says documentation should show the program is being used in daily operations shift by shift.