Safety in Extreme Heat Conditions

What is Heat Stress?

Heat stress describes a range of symptoms related to exposure to extreme heat conditions. These include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, cramps, sudden heart failure, rashes, and even burns.

The symptoms are exacerbated in workers over the age of 65, and those who are overweight or have heart disease or high blood pressure. Further, workers with frequent exposure to high heat, such as firefighters, military, miners and refinery workers, encounter increased safety hazards due to fatigue, equipment malfunction and other byproducts of heat exposure.

As a result, NIOSH has established a recommended standard designed to protect worker safety. Staying informed and establishing a heat stress monitoring program is essential in order to achieve compliance and protect health and safety.     

Monitoring Heat Stress to Protect Worker Safety

TSI Quest™ instruments can help you protect your workers from exposure to heat stress. Environmental heat stress is measured in terms of heat index (a combination of temperature and humidity) and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which takes into consideration radiant heat sources.

WBGT data is used for work/rest guidelines to help keep a worker’s core body temperature below 38º C (102°F). The U.S. military branches and certain states have heat stress safety regulations based on WBGT values and NIOSH has recommended safety guidelines for workers.

TSI Quest Quality. Your Data.

QUESTempº Series Heat Stress Monitors assess heat stress environments using WBGT sensing technology. TSI Quest combines quality instrumentation with intuitive detection management software that allows you to customize logged data and efficiently produce reports on worker exposure.