Washington — The National Safety Council recently awarded more than $140,000 in grants to seven organizations to help employers mitigate the risks of heat stress on the job.
The nonprofit cites Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that since 2011, almost 500 people have died from heat-related incidents at work.
“These fatalities are preventable through planning, training and tools that provide early warning signs of heat stress,” the council says.
Using funding distributed via NSC’s Work to Zero Heat Stress Pilot Grant, recipients will collaborate with winners of the council’s Safety Innovation Challenge, testing recently developed technologies to address heat stress among workers.
Examples of solutions include:
- Handheld cooling and sensor technology
- Drone-based precision mapping at high-heat construction sites
- Rapid body cooling systems
- Cooling footwear that enhances worker comfort in the heat
“Employers must take meaningful steps to combat the increasing risk of heat-related illnesses and fatalities on the job,” said Katherine Mendoza, senior director of workplace safety programs at NSC. “This new pilot grant program shows how technology can be used to save lives. By enabling organizations to test innovative solutions in real-world settings, we’re creating a pathway to scalable safety practices that can prevent heat-related tragedies before they happen.”
The Work to Zero initiative, launched in 2019 with support from the McElhattan Foundation, is aimed at eliminating workplace fatalities by 2050 through identifying technological innovations and informing stakeholders.
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.
Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication