Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers

Margaret C. Morrissey; Douglas J. Casa; Gabrielle J. Brewer; William M. Adams; Yuri Hosokawa; Courteney L. Benjamin; Andrew J. Grundstein; David Hostler; Brendon P. McDermott; Meredith L. McQuerry; Rebecca L. Stearns; Erica M. Filep; David W. DeGroot; Juley Fulcher; Andreas D. Flouris; Robert A. Huggins; Brenda L. Jacklitsch; John F. Jardine; Rebecca M. Lopez; Ronda B. McCarthy; Yannis Pitisladis; Riana R. Pryor; Zachary J. Schlader; Caroline J. Smith; Denise L. Smith; June T. Spector; Jennifer K. Vanos; W. Jon Williams; Nicole T. Vargas; Susan W. Yeargin

doi:10.1029/2021GH000443

Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers

Margaret C. Morrissey
, Douglas J. Casa
, Gabrielle J. Brewer
, William M. Adams
, Yuri Hosokawa
, Courteney L. Benjamin
, Andrew J. Grundstein
, David Hostler
, Brendon P. McDermott
, Meredith L. McQuerry
, Rebecca L. Stearns
, Erica M. Filep
, David W. DeGroot
, Juley Fulcher
, Andreas D. Flouris
, Robert A. Huggins
, Brenda L. Jacklitsch
, John F. Jardine
, Rebecca M. Lopez
, Ronda B. McCarthy

Yannis Pitisladis, Riana R. Pryor, Zachary J. Schlader, Caroline J. Smith, Denise L. Smith, June T. Spector, Jennifer K. Vanos, W. Jon Williams, Nicole T. Vargas, Susan W. Yeargin

Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

University of Connecticut
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Waseda University
Samford University
University of Georgia
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Florida State University
United States Army
Public Citizen
University of Thessaly
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
University of South Florida
Concentra Medical Center
University of Brighton
Indiana University Bloomington
Appalachian State University
Skidmore College
University of Washington
Arizona State University
The University of Sydney
University of South Carolina

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of this consensus document was to develop feasible, evidence-based occupational heat safety recommendations to protect the US workers that experience heat stress. Heat safety recommendations were created to protect worker health and to avoid productivity losses associated with occupational heat stress. Recommendations were tailored to be utilized by safety managers, industrial hygienists, and the employers who bear responsibility for implementing heat safety plans. An interdisciplinary roundtable comprised of 51 experts was assembled to create a narrative review summarizing current data and gaps in knowledge within eight heat safety topics: (a) heat hygiene, (b) hydration, (c) heat acclimatization, (d) environmental monitoring, (e) physiological monitoring, (f) body cooling, (g) textiles and personal protective gear, and (h) emergency action plan implementation. The consensus-based recommendations for each topic were created using the Delphi method and evaluated based on scientific evidence, feasibility, and clarity. The current document presents 40 occupational heat safety recommendations across all eight topics. Establishing these recommendations will help organizations and employers create effective heat safety plans for their workplaces, address factors that limit the implementation of heat safety best-practices and protect worker health and productivity.

Original language	English
Article number	e2021GH000443
Journal	GeoHealth
Volume	5
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000443
State	Published - Aug 2021

Keywords

heat risk management
heat stress
heat-related illness
occupational
safety

Access to Document

10.1029/2021GH000443

Cite this

Morrissey, M. C., Casa, D. J., Brewer, G. J., Adams, W. M., Hosokawa, Y., Benjamin, C. L., Grundstein, A. J., Hostler, D., McDermott, B. P., McQuerry, M. L., Stearns, R. L., Filep, E. M., DeGroot, D. W., Fulcher, J., Flouris, A. D., Huggins, R. A., Jacklitsch, B. L., Jardine, J. F., Lopez, R. M., ... Yeargin, S. W. (2021). Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers. GeoHealth, 5(8), Article e2021GH000443. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000443

@article{8fc622f2cf3b429ea49674c10bfda9c4,

title = "Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers",

abstract = "The purpose of this consensus document was to develop feasible, evidence-based occupational heat safety recommendations to protect the US workers that experience heat stress. Heat safety recommendations were created to protect worker health and to avoid productivity losses associated with occupational heat stress. Recommendations were tailored to be utilized by safety managers, industrial hygienists, and the employers who bear responsibility for implementing heat safety plans. An interdisciplinary roundtable comprised of 51 experts was assembled to create a narrative review summarizing current data and gaps in knowledge within eight heat safety topics: (a) heat hygiene, (b) hydration, (c) heat acclimatization, (d) environmental monitoring, (e) physiological monitoring, (f) body cooling, (g) textiles and personal protective gear, and (h) emergency action plan implementation. The consensus-based recommendations for each topic were created using the Delphi method and evaluated based on scientific evidence, feasibility, and clarity. The current document presents 40 occupational heat safety recommendations across all eight topics. Establishing these recommendations will help organizations and employers create effective heat safety plans for their workplaces, address factors that limit the implementation of heat safety best-practices and protect worker health and productivity.",

keywords = "heat risk management, heat stress, heat-related illness, occupational, safety",

author = "Morrissey, \{Margaret C.\} and Casa, \{Douglas J.\} and Brewer, \{Gabrielle J.\} and Adams, \{William M.\} and Yuri Hosokawa and Benjamin, \{Courteney L.\} and Grundstein, \{Andrew J.\} and David Hostler and McDermott, \{Brendon P.\} and McQuerry, \{Meredith L.\} and Stearns, \{Rebecca L.\} and Filep, \{Erica M.\} and DeGroot, \{David W.\} and Juley Fulcher and Flouris, \{Andreas D.\} and Huggins, \{Robert A.\} and Jacklitsch, \{Brenda L.\} and Jardine, \{John F.\} and Lopez, \{Rebecca M.\} and McCarthy, \{Ronda B.\} and Yannis Pitisladis and Pryor, \{Riana R.\} and Schlader, \{Zachary J.\} and Smith, \{Caroline J.\} and Smith, \{Denise L.\} and Spector, \{June T.\} and Vanos, \{Jennifer K.\} and Williams, \{W. Jon\} and Vargas, \{Nicole T.\} and Yeargin, \{Susan W.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021. The Authors. GeoHealth published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Geophysical Union.",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1029/2021GH000443",

language = "English",

volume = "5",

journal = "GeoHealth",

issn = "2471-1403",

publisher = "John Wiley \& Sons Inc.",

number = "8",

}

Morrissey, MC, Casa, DJ, Brewer, GJ, Adams, WM, Hosokawa, Y, Benjamin, CL, Grundstein, AJ, Hostler, D, McDermott, BP, McQuerry, ML, Stearns, RL, Filep, EM, DeGroot, DW, Fulcher, J, Flouris, AD, Huggins, RA, Jacklitsch, BL, Jardine, JF, Lopez, RM, McCarthy, RB, Pitisladis, Y, Pryor, RR, Schlader, ZJ, Smith, CJ, Smith, DL, Spector, JT, Vanos, JK, Williams, WJ, Vargas, NT & Yeargin, SW 2021, 'Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers', GeoHealth, vol. 5, no. 8, e2021GH000443. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000443

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AB - The purpose of this consensus document was to develop feasible, evidence-based occupational heat safety recommendations to protect the US workers that experience heat stress. Heat safety recommendations were created to protect worker health and to avoid productivity losses associated with occupational heat stress. Recommendations were tailored to be utilized by safety managers, industrial hygienists, and the employers who bear responsibility for implementing heat safety plans. An interdisciplinary roundtable comprised of 51 experts was assembled to create a narrative review summarizing current data and gaps in knowledge within eight heat safety topics: (a) heat hygiene, (b) hydration, (c) heat acclimatization, (d) environmental monitoring, (e) physiological monitoring, (f) body cooling, (g) textiles and personal protective gear, and (h) emergency action plan implementation. The consensus-based recommendations for each topic were created using the Delphi method and evaluated based on scientific evidence, feasibility, and clarity. The current document presents 40 occupational heat safety recommendations across all eight topics. Establishing these recommendations will help organizations and employers create effective heat safety plans for their workplaces, address factors that limit the implementation of heat safety best-practices and protect worker health and productivity.

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KW - heat stress

KW - heat-related illness

KW - occupational

KW - safety

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ER -

Heat Safety in the Workplace: Modified Delphi Consensus to Establish Strategies and Resources to Protect the US Workers

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Keywords

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