Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Heat and Illness Prevention Plan

Purpose and Objective 

This Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP) applies to all Cherokee Brick employees who work in areas of employment or on job tasks where the environmental risk factors for heat illness are present and are at risk for developing heat illnesses if they do not protect themselves appropriately. 


Scope 

Cherokee Brick’s HIPP includes steps for ensuring drinking water is provided in sufficient amounts, temperatures and humidity conditions are monitored, high heat procedures are followed, employee training is in place, emergency response procedures are documented, acclimatization of employees is accounted for, and auditing processes are incorporated to strengthen the plan’s success. 


Policy 

It is the policy of Cherokee Brick that any employee participating in job tasks where environmental risk factors for heat illness are present will comply with the procedures in this document and in the Injury and Illness Prevention Program. A copy of this Heat Illness Prevention Plan will be made available in both English and Spanish. 


Responsibilities 

Management 

Managers and supervisors must: 

  • Make drinking water available and plentiful, 
  • Make rest breaks available, 
  • Monitor the weather (current and forecast) and adjust workloads accordingly. You are required to implement high-heat procedures when temperatures equal or exceed 95 degrees, 
  • Be vigilant for signs of heat illness and respond quickly, 
  • Have an emergency plan ready, 
  • Ensure that all employees are trained on heat illness prevention. 



Employees 

Employees must: 

  • Stay hydrated; drink water frequently, 
  • Take breaks in an air-conditioned breakroom, 
  • Report heat illness symptoms to the supervisor, 
  • Report heat illness symptoms of coworkers to the supervisor, 
  • Comply with all provisions of the Heat Illness and Prevention Plan.   


Employee Protection & Hydration 

  • Cherokee Brick provides fans and supplied air in each department, at all times. Fans and spot coolers are inspected regularly to ensure they are functioning properly. Employees are also encouraged to report defective equipment. Repairing a fan or spot cooler is made priority by maintenance personnel in the event they are not working properly. 
  • Cherokee Brick will provide fresh, pure, and suitable cool water, free of charge, as close as practicable to areas where employees are located. Water and ice will be replenished as necessary throughout the day. 
  • Cherokee Brick encourages employees to drink water frequently and to report low water and ice levels. 
  • Cherokee Brick will provide, free of charge, two packets of electrolytes daily to each employee when temperatures reach 80 degrees and above. 
  • Cherokee Brick will provide, free of charge, popsicles containing electrolytes and pickle pops to avoid cramping once a day when 80 degrees and above and twice a day when 90 degrees and above. 
  • Cherokee Brick will provide, free of charge, the following PPE (PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT) when 90 degrees and above: 
  • hardhat cooling liners, 
  • cooling bandanas, 
  • hats for shade. 


Rest Breaks

  • Cherokee Brick employees will be given, at minimum, two 15-minute breaks each day as well as a 45-minute lunch break. Breaks may be taken as a group or individually at the discretion of the supervisor. Cherokee Brick employees are encouraged to sit in an air-conditioned breakroom during each break. Water and ice are always available in each breakroom. 
  • Cherokee Brick employees are encouraged to take additional breaks, if necessary. However, each employee is responsible for communicating with their supervisor prior to leaving their work area. 


Acclimatization 

Cherokee Brick will closely monitor new employees to ensure they are taking necessary breaks to hydrate and rest. Most employees are able to stop actively working throughout the day due to our usage of automated machinery. 

In an effort to prevent strains, sprains and heat illnesses, our acclimatization procedure for packaging line employees is as follows: 

  • 1st week - one hour on the line/one hour off the line throughout the entire shift. 
  • 2nd week – two hours on the line/one hour off the line throughout the entire shift. 
  • 3rd week – The new employee will rotate down the lines normally and will be monitored closely by their supervisor and other experienced hackers. If a new employee seems to be having troubles, they will revert to week two acclimatization procedures. 


High Heat Procedures 

Cherokee Brick will implement the following high heat procedures when the temperature equals or exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The Safety Department is responsible for monitoring weather and notifying supervisors if there is a threat. 

  • Supervisors, safety personnel and other managers shall directly observe employees, for signs and symptoms of heat illness. 
  • If impractical to directly observe employees, a mandatory buddy system shall be implemented or; 
  • Regular communication with employees working solo shall be implemented by either radio or cellular phone or; 
  • Other effective observation such as periodic checks. 
  • Employees shall be observed for symptoms of heat illness and will be reminded throughout the work shift to drink plenty of water. 
  • Cherokee Brick will designate first responders to call for emergency medical procedures and will allow any employees to call for emergency services if a first responder is not available. 


Emergency Response Procedures 

All supervisors and management personnel of Cherokee Brick are required to take immediate action if an employee exhibits signs or symptoms off heat illness. Emergency response procedures will include but not be limited to the following actions: 

  • Ensuring that effective communication by voice, observation, or electronic means are maintained so that employees can contact a supervisor or emergency medical service when necessary. 
  • Cellphones and company radios will be used for communication. 
  • Employers and supervisors will be trained to recognize symptoms of heat stress, such as decreased level of consciousness, disorientation, irrational behavior, staggering, vomiting and convulsions; and are required to take immediate action if any employee exhibits signs of the mentioned symptoms of heat illness. 
  • Supervisors and employees will be taught first aid measures and how emergency services are to be provided to affected employees. 
  • Employees exhibiting signs or symptoms will be monitored and shall not be left alone or sent home without being first offered onsite first aid and/or being provided with emergency medical service. 
  • If deemed necessary, emergency medical services will be contacted, and employees will be transported to a place where they can be reached by emergency medical providers. 
  • In emergency events – clear and precise directions to work site will be provided to emergency responders. 
  • If a work site is in a difficult to find location, an employee will be sent to meet emergency medical services at the nearest landmark; and lead them to the work site. 


Training 

Cherokee Brick will train employees via safety talk and signage on: 

  • The importance of immediately reporting to their supervisor symptoms and signs of heat stress in themselves or in co-workers, 
  • Types of heat illnesses, 
  • Predisposing factors, danger signs and symptoms, 
  • Awareness of first aid procedures, 
  • Employee responsibilities in avoiding heat stress, 
  • Dangers of using drugs and alcohol in hot work environments, 
  • Use of protective clothing, 
  • The importance of frequent consumption of small quantities of water, 
  • Urine charts posted throughout the plant.

 

Heat Illness Prevention Plan Audit 

Cherokee Brick, as part of the implementation of our Injury & Illness Prevention Program, and to ensure the success of our HIPP, will conduct an audit of our written plan and documentation by Supervisors and Managers. Audits of the HIPP will be conducted annually. The audit shall review the plan to ensure that the heat illness prevention procedures continue to be effectively implemented. This will include, but is not limited to: 

  • Ensuring that suitably fresh and cool water is routinely provided in the required amounts. 
  • Ensuring sufficient shade is routinely made available. 
  • Verifying that the required supervisor and employee training has been completed. 
  • A review of the effectiveness of emergency response procedures. 
  • Ensuring that employees are acclimatized as required. 
  • Ensuring that high heat procedures are implemented when the temperature reaches 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 




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