Staying Cool on the Job

Nova Scotians are reminded to take precautions at work during the hotter days of summer. Both employers and employees should be mindful of the signs of heat stress and take measures to prevent it.

"We can have some beautiful sunny days here in Nova Scotia but as the temperature rises, people need to remember to stay safe while working," said Marilyn More, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education. "While occupational health and safety legislation does not regulate the comfort of employees, it does have sections that deal specifically with heat stress and heat exhaustion."

Heat stress is assessed based on a complex measure of the body's ability to dissipate heat. It incorporates a variety of factors including air temperature, humidity, and physical work effort.

To reduce the chance of heat stress and exhaustion, people should try to limit direct exposure to the sun during the hottest parts of the day, consume plenty of liquids and wear appropriate loose clothing.

Employers should provide a cool place to rest and introduce work/rest regimes when necessary during extreme instances of heat and humidity.

For more information on working in the heat, visit www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/hot_cold.html

For general heat safety tips, visit www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/publications/HeatSummerSafety.pdf and www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/publications/Hydration_scr.pdf