The United States Department of Labor just released a mobile phone application to monitor the heat index. The app, which is available in English and Spanish, will enable workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index at their work sites and prevent heat-related illnesses. It is the employer’s duty to provide a safe and healthful workplace, but a nifty app like this would make it easier for employees to be more aware of their own exposure and that of their co-workers. What do you think… would you use this app while on the job? Something like this would also be helpful off the job. Educational institutions and coaches could use this when they hold practices to ensure their students don’t get overheated. There are countless occasions when an app like this would come in handy.
In an effort to get the message out about heat exposure the Secretary of Labor stated, “Summer heat presents a serious issue that affects some of the most vulnerable workers in our country, and education is crucial to keeping them safe.” Employee job safety and health is a huge concern for employers and one that state and federal agencies take seriously. No employer wants to be inspected or worse still cited by an agency inspector and fined for health and safety violations, to say nothing of the concern for workers wellbeing. Bad outcomes can be avoided when employers comply with mandatory health and safety labor laws and diligently work toward providing the most safe and healthful workplaces.
This new app combines heat index data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the user’s location, determining essential protective measures. The protective measures include precautions the user can take, such as drinking fluids and adjusting work operations as well as signs and symptoms of heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses. Using all of the tools available could prevent disasters from occurring.
However, there is an unmistakable reality here that must be addressed. The new heat index app is designed for devices using an Android platform with versions for BlackBerry and ¡Phone users to be released soon. While smart phones are considered the gold standard for mobile devices, they may not be affordable or practicable for the average employee. For this and other practical reasons CPC’s heat illness-related posters and pamphlets, in both English and Spanish, are an effective way to reach all employees alike. Plus CPC’s friendly and knowledgeable Compliance Advisors can work with you to achieve your workplace safety goals.
The message is clear: employers are responsible for protecting workers. For outdoor workers these protections include providing plenty of water, regularly scheduled rest breaks, workload planning and implementation, medical preparation and job hazard planning.
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