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

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 subjected to excessive heat stress. a. On or about 8/5/05 and 8/10/05, A La Carte line in the kitchen: the cooks were exposed to heat stress conditions including but not limited to heat exhaustion and heat stroke due to the high temperatures while they were doing their tasks. The effects of exposure to high temperature include: confusion, nausea, cramps, irrational behavior, fainting, convulsions and death. At the A La Carte line the employees were exposed to a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature between 29.7 deg.C and 32.9 deg.C which exceeds the screening criteria for Heat Stress Exposure, published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 2005 edition of 28.5 deg.C, for acclimatized employees doing moderate work and wearing moderate clothing. Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazardous are: 1. Address heat stress causes which may include: monitoring predicted weather conditions, ensure adequate fluid replenishment, provide and require periodic breaks in an air conditioned area, train workers and supervisors in the recognition, prevention, and treatment of heat illnesses and employee temperature monitoring. 2. Install air conditioning in the kitchen or use spot cooling in employee work areas. 3. Increase ventilation both for general air movement and for radiant heat sources. "ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM"