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

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 employee(s) in that employee(s) were exposed to the hazard of excessive heat: a) Mountain Avenue, Washington Township, NJ - On or about and at times prior to 6/28/21, employees were exposed to the recognized hazard of high ambient heat from the direct sun during the performance of the job duties as sanitation workers, including continuous lifting and dumping of refuse bins. On 6/28/21 the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration recorded a temperature of 88 degrees Fahrenheit, 61% humidity and a Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 86.5 Fahrenheit at 10:51am.The heat index for this time period was 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature of 89 degrees Fahrenheit, 57% humidity and a WBGT of 86.2 degrees Fahrenheit was determined for 11:51am. The heat index for this time period was 95.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Both heat indexes are classified by the National Weather Service as Extreme Caution. The employees spent approximately 6.5 hours lifting and dumping refuse bins in direct sunlight and excessive heat. Such exposures are likely to lead to the development of serious heat-related illnesses such as, but not limited to, heat cramps, heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. For one of the employees, it was his first day working for the employer. That one employee experienced symptoms of heat illness including confusion, slurred speech, seizures, dizziness, and muscle spasms; after which he was hospitalized and died that day.