Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
These measures contradict some traditional notions about work and pro-
ductivity, but as part of an overall heat stress control program, these measures
help protect employee health and help maintain worker efficiency and safety.
Heat stress control programs are now standard in many industries and in the
armed forces.
1
Setting Up Rest Breaks
Workers recover from the heat more effectively with shorter, more fre-
quent rest breaks than they do with longer, less frequent breaks. Longer, fre-
quent rest breaks are necessary for heavier work and for work in higher tem-
peratures and humidities. Rest breaks should be promoted among workers as a
time for drinking water. Whenever possible, rest breaks should be taken in a
shaded or air-conditioned area. It is hard to rest effectively in a hot environ-
ment. Rest breaks help workers recover from heat because:
•
the heart rate slows
•
the body cools down
•
body fluids lost from sweating are replaced with drinking water.
Under mild condi tions, workers weari ng protective gear might take a
ten-minute break every hour. When heat stress conditions increase, a
five-
minute break every half-hour would be better. When working in chemi-
cal-resistant suits and/or in higher temperatures and humidities, the length of
rest breaks and the amount of water consumed must increase sharply (see
Tables
Work/rest cycles should be flexible. Even among acclimatized workers,
there are large individual differences in work capacity and tolerance to heat, and
this tolerance can vary from day to day. Many persons are able to work under
hot conditions for longer periods than those given in Tables 6.18 and 6.19; for
others, these work periods may be too long. It is more important that supervi-
sors understand the trends and underlying principles of these tables than that
they follow work/rest times exactly.
The suggested work/rest periods in these tables are not a guarantee of pro-
tection against heat illness and should not be used as a substitute for good
judgment and experience
People naturally want to persevere and finish a task at hand. In agriculture
in particular, the demands of crop production and pest control during warm and
hot weather create pressure to get as much done in as short a period of time as
possible. In addition, workers and employers often face strong economic pres-
sure not to interrupt work.
