Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: UNAPEQUIP

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that: Employees were exposed to the hazards of heat stress disorders, such as but not limited to, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, while performing duties such as harvesting or field clean-up during environmental temperature extremes. Feasible and useful methods of correction include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of a heat stress program which should include the following: A. Engineering controls - Where feasible, increase mechanization to reduce human involvement, provide reliable shading such as large umbrellas, tent or tarps. B. Administrative controls - Provide new employees with training on the hazards of environmental heat; train all employees yearly on the signs and symptoms of heat stress related problems, pre- disposing personal or behavioral factors and first-aid procedures for heat stroke and other heat stress related illnesses; apply an acclimatization program for new employees; determine any causal factors that may effect the employee's heat illness susceptibility; encourage drinking water throughout the day at a rate of about one cup every 15-20 minutes; implement work/rest regimens similar to those recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists; where feasible, conduct worker monitoring (eg. pulse rate, oral temperature or water loss); utilize a buddy-system where employees periodically check on one another while in the field especially for new, unacclimatized, returning, ill or recuperating employees; assign extra workers; and end work before the hottest hours of the day, 1-3 pm. C. Personal protective clothing - Where feasible, provide cooling vest or wetted clothing when humidity is low. ABATEMENT VERIFICATION REQUIRED