CBRN workers are at particular risk for heat stress. CBRN, which stands for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear, requires that everyone who works in it wear heavy protective gear. Quite often this clothing is not breathable and as result bodies get overheated leading to heat stress. Heat stress, when it is mild, can be easily treated and an employee can get back to work relatively quickly, but if it is extreme it can lead to coma and even death. This exposes you to massive lawsuits that could have easily been avoided if you dealt with the problem of heat stress effectively in the first place.
The first step is to let your employees know that heat stress is a real danger and they can easily find themselves in danger. They should all be familiar with the signs of an overheating body and they should know what to do when it happens. It is important that they understand that sometimes one may not know they are in trouble so they should watch out for each other.
Your employees should understand the importance of proper clothing in the workplace. The gear that they work in is going to overheat sooner or later but if they have the right clothing beneath it can go a long way in lowering their body temperatures. Do some research into some of the best fabrics for people who wear heavy gear and let your employees know so that they can invest in the right kind of clothing. Make sure that they know the value of hydration and frequent breaks while on the work floor.
Additionally you can invest in heat stress monitoring equipment. At a glance you will be able to see every employee’s vitals and you can step in whenever intervention is needed. Talk to Equivital – they have some of the best monitoring equipment in the market. You can contact them through http://www.equivital.com/.