b'Associate Member News for Business OwnersBeat the Heat: Protecting Your Employees from Hot WeatherAs the temperatures rise outside during summer months, so do the risks that your employees may be harmed by the dangerous effects of heat. As a business owner, its your responsibility to help monitor and minimize the risk of heat stress for your workers.Consider the Heat IndexAdjusting Workloads: Considering re- scheduling highly labor-intensive tasks to and Temperature cooler parts of the day if possible. Heat Illness Recognition: Educating work- The heat index combines airtemperature anders on symptoms of heat exhaustion and humidityto determine how hot it feels outside: heat stroke: headache, dizziness, weak-ness, upset stomach, excessive sweating,80-90F: Caution needed for prolongedelevated body temperature, and red/hot/moderate work outdoors. dry skin. 91-103F: Use extreme caution, reduce Medical Attention: Encouraging workersoutdoor work, take extra breaks, andexperiencing symptoms to stop work and monitor workers closely. seek medical help immediately 1 . 103-124F: Danger for prolonged expo- Reach out to your local Federatedmarketingsure. Halt outdoor work (except emergen- representativeto learn more about working in cies) to prevent heat illness. heat and other risk management topics. 126F or higher: Extreme danger, avoid1 https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ outdoor work. High humidity above 60%OSHA4185.pdf. OSHA. Exposure to Outdoor and Heat-Related affects sweat evaporation, impacting theHazards. Accessedbodys cooling ability 1 .Keeping YourEmployees Safe This article is for gen-eral information and risk Business owners should consider monitoringprevention only and should daily heat index readings and adjusting worknot be considered legal or schedules and demands accordingly to preventother expert advice. The rec-ommendations herein may heat illness.Risk management tacticsmay help reduce, but are not help, including: guaranteed to eliminate, any or all risk of loss. Ex-Additional Workers: Bringing on extraamples shown are for illus-workers for labor-intensive projects to al- trative purposes only.The low for more frequent breaks. information herein may be subject to, and is not a Preventative Measures: Offering regularsubstitute for, any laws or regulations that may apply. rest breaks, shade, water, and adjustedQualified counsel should be schedules to minimize heat-related risks. sought with questions spe-cific to your circumstances. Acclimatization: Allowing new and return- 2024Federated Mutual ing workers to gradually increase expo- Insurance Company.sure time for working in the heat. Published Dates:Appropriate Attire: Providing lightweight,May 20, 2024breathable clothing or Personal ProtectiveJune 17, 2024Equipment (PPE) for comfort and safety. SWPMA News / Summer 202453'