In industrial settings, workers inevitably face and come into contact with heat during their tasks. The dangers of heat in the workplace are significant. When our bodies receive heat, they transfer it out to maintain a balance of body temperature, which is normally around 37°C (98.6°F). If the body cannot maintain this balance of the heat control system, abnormalities and illnesses can occur. Symptoms and illnesses that may arise include dehydration, fatigue, fainting, and cramps.
So, what can we do to protect employees and ensure they can work safely in hot conditions without endangering their health or impacting production systems? Today, we have guidelines for preventing heat-related dangers by assessing heat levels appropriate to the nature of the work. Let’s explore this together.
Assessing Heat Levels Appropriate to Work Characteristics
According to the standards set for management and implementation of safety, occupational health, and work environment related to heat, light, and noise in 2016:
The intensity of work refers to the body’s energy use or the force that causes metabolism in the body for work performance. The classification of work intensity is divided into 3 levels (as per the Ministerial Regulation on Heat, Light, and Noise, 2006), calculated by energy consumption as follows:
“Light Work”
This refers to tasks that use little force or energy, causing metabolism in the body not exceeding 200 kilocalories per hour.
Examples of activities and operations at the light work level include:
- Seated work with moderate arm-leg movement, such as:
- Office work
- Writing
- Typing
- Data entry
- Sitting to inspect products
- Assembling small parts
- Inspecting/assembling light materials
- Sewing and embroidery
- Standing work with slight body movement, such as:
- Operating machinery
- Packing light materials
- Foot-controlled machine operation
- Using small power tools/labor-saving devices
- Walking at a speed not exceeding 2 miles/hour (2 kilometers/hour), such as:
- Walking to inspect work
- Walking to deliver small amounts of documents
Importance of Heat Assessment in the Workplace
- Worker Safety: Proper heat assessment helps prevent heat-related illnesses and injuries among employees.
- Productivity: By ensuring appropriate working conditions, companies can maintain or even improve productivity levels.
- Legal Compliance: Following heat assessment guidelines helps businesses comply with occupational health and safety regulations.
- Cost Reduction: Preventing heat-related incidents can reduce medical expenses and worker compensation claims.
- Employee Satisfaction: Comfortable working conditions contribute to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates.
Implementing Heat Assessment Measures
- Regular Monitoring: Conduct regular heat assessments in different areas of the workplace.
- Appropriate Equipment: Use reliable heat measurement tools to accurately assess temperature levels.
- Worker Education: Train employees on recognizing heat-related symptoms and proper hydration practices.
- Adaptive Schedules: Consider adjusting work schedules during extreme heat conditions.
- Engineering Controls: Implement cooling systems, ventilation, or insulation where necessary.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide appropriate PPE for workers in high-heat areas.
By following these guidelines and regularly assessing heat levels in the workplace, companies can ensure a safer, more comfortable, and more productive work environment for their employees. Remember, prevention is always better than cure when it comes to heat-related workplace hazards.
“Moderate Work”
This refers to tasks that use moderate force or energy, causing metabolism in the body between 201 to 350 kilocalories per hour.
Examples of activities and operations at the moderate work level include:
- Seated work with significant arm-leg movement, such as:
- Sitting to control cranes or large machinery in construction
- Assembling/packing materials of considerable weight
- Driving large trucks
- Standing/moving the body while working, such as:
- Lifting moderately heavy objects
- Pulling-pushing wheeled material carts
- Working in storage rooms
- Standing to hammer nails
- Using medium-sized power tools
- Standing to feed workpieces
- Scrubbing for cleaning
- Ironing clothes
- Walking at a speed of 2-3 miles/hour (2 – 4.8 kilometers/hour) or walking while carrying materials of moderate weight, such as delivering documents or packages.
“Heavy Work”
This refers to tasks that use significant force or energy, causing metabolism in the body exceeding 350 kilocalories per hour.
Examples of activities and operations at the heavy work level include:
- Work involving extensive/rapid body movement or requiring significant force, such as:
- Dragging, pulling, or lifting heavy objects (> 20 kg)
- Work using shovels or similar digging tools
- Sawing wood
- Digging or excavating soil/sand
- Drilling hardwood
- Hammering with large hammers
- Lifting or moving heavy objects up high or on slopes
- Stirring slag in smelting furnaces
- Carving metal or stone
- Scrubbing very dirty floors or carpets
- Construction and heavy outdoor work
- Fast walking or running at speeds greater than 3 miles/hour (8 kilometers/hour)
Industries at Risk of Heat Exposure
According to the Ministerial Regulation on Safety Measures for Factory Operations Related to Work Environment B.E. 2546 (2003), the following types of factories are required to measure heat levels:
- Raw sugar, white sugar production, or refining factories
- Textile factories involved in bleaching, dyeing, or finishing yarn or textiles
- Paper pulp production from wood or other materials, paper and cardboard manufacturing
- Tire production, repair, casting, or retreading factories
- Glass and glass fiber production factories
- Cement, lime, plaster factories
- Factories involved in smelting, mixing, purifying, melting, casting, rolling, drawing, or producing primary metals
- Operations with heat sources or work that may cause employees to be at risk from heat exposure
Heat Control Solutions
Newtech Insulation Co., Ltd. (NTi), specialists in removable thermal insulation for industrial use, offers advice on heat control and maintaining appropriate heat levels in workplaces. They ensure the safety of workers near heat sources using ZAVE® thermal insulation. This method controls heat at the source by insulating equipment such as heaters, ovens, hot water pipes, boilers, and local exhaust ventilation ducts. This approach helps reduce heat radiation and ensures worker safety.
Thank you to the sources:
- Some content from the Ministerial Regulation on Standards for Administration and Management of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment in relation to Heat, Light and Noise B.E. 2549 (2006)
- Some content from the Basic Occupational Hygiene Instrument Manual, Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Dise
