Although temperatures have turned frosty in many parts of the U.S., OSHA is not letting up on its effort to raise awareness about the risks of heat illness for outdoor workers. The agency has produced an interactive, online Heat Fatalities Map that is a visual representation of heat-related fatalities in the U.S. between 2009 and 2012.
“It's a reminder that water, rest and shade are vital to providing a safe and healthful environment when working outdoors in the heat,” according to the agency.
For each fatality, basic information about the type of workplace, work task, and work conditions is provided if available. The map joins other informational materials like the OSHA Heat Safety Tool, a mobile smartphone application that provides heat safety information whenever and wherever it is needed. The Heat Safety Tool hass been downloaded more than 54,000 times in English and Spanish.
OSHA Chief Dr. David Michaels reflects on the summer public awareness campaign in his latest blog post, "The End of a Long, Hot Summer." OSHA's heat illness prevention education materials are available year-round on OSHA's heat illness prevention campaign page. To order any of OSHA's materials, call OSHA's Office of Communications at (202) 693-1999 or visit OSHA's Publications page.