Heat and Outdoor Workers

For more information visit: www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/heat/outdoor-worker.htm Arizona is one of the hottest places on Earth from May to September. Hot outdoor temperatures can put people at risk for a heat-related illness. Heat-related illness is a preventable condition, but has been the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), heat-related illnesses cause more deaths on average than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. Outdoor workers who spend time in the heat are vulnerable to a heat-related illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1992-2006, 423 workers in agricultural and nonagricultural industries died from exposure to heat; this is an average of 30 deaths per year. Fortunately, heat illness can be prevented by following a few safety tips. The Arizona Department of Health Services created the Guidance and Resources for Outdoor Workers in the Heat (GROWTH) toolkit to address this issue. The toolkit provides outdoor workers and employers with resources to prevent, recognize, and treat heat illness utilizing information developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).