As record heat becomes the norm rather than the exception, employers need to treat extreme heat the same way they do winter storms or hurricanes: with a plan.
That means clear policies on when outdoor operations should be paused during heatwaves. Think not only of construction workers or delivery drivers, but also servers on patios and drive-thru attendants.
Some health training is key: managers should be able to recognize and respond to early signs of heat illness. Heat stress can escalate quickly and deaths are possible, even on days that aren’t the hottest of the year. In a perfect world, we’d also recommend sending out heat warnings to managers when it’s an unusually hot day, or the first hot day in a while, though we know there are logistical challenges to that.
Indoor employees are at risk, too, especially in hot kitchens. Only a handful of states have permanent indoor heat regulations, but many others have legislation in progress.
Extreme heat can also drive a rise in other illnesses, like mosquito and tick-borne diseases, and even respiratory viruses when people spend more time cramped together inside air-conditioned rooms. Over time, employers should plan for more sick days and growing health impacts tied to heat.
In the short term, focus on sharing heat exhaustion and heat stroke info, and updating outdoor worker policies to protect your people. We’ll leave you with this simple graphic we like to use that’s easy for managers to see the warning signs of heat illness.
Sources: NPR, Atlantic, Weather.gov
An analysis of employees in Denmark found that people with diabetes who were taking Ozempic had fewer work absences. While major differences in the health systems of the two countries make comparing this to the U.S. hard, it’s an interesting thought for American employers who are considering whether to cover the drugs under their employee health plans.