As the mercury rises, so does the threat of HRIs

EHS In-charge, Daniel Jeffrin, squints at the shimmering heat waves at PT&D’s 90 MWac Floating Solar project site in Omkareshwar, MP, preparing himself to face another scorcher of a day and focus his efforts to keep his site engineers and workers safe from the oppressive heat.

He and his Project Manager, Lawrence Dhanaraj, are fully aware that all at site are at the risk of HRIs, or Heat-Related Illnesses, and injuries or heat stress caused by direct exposure to heat, environmental factors, air temperature, humidity, skin temperature, speed and temperature of air moving over the body, radiant temperature, clothing, hydration, and other individual physical and medical characteristics.

“Heat stress can lead to heat stroke, exhaustion, giddiness, fainting, slower responses, muscle fatigue and cramping, or even clouded vision, which can occur both while working out in the open under the sun or even in closed spaces,” points out T Prabhakar, Head – EHS, PT&D IC, flagging off some necessary steps to combat HRIs:

Beating the heat

“We have sturdy, strategically placed shaded areas across the worksite for workers to take refuge from the intense heat, to take breaks and recharge without compromising on productivity,” explains Daniel. “Our hydration stations are critical for all of us to always remain hydrated in such hot conditions by drinking water or glucose water at regular intervals.” Signages around the site remind personnel to stay hydrated.

Taking breaks and limiting workers’ exposure to direct heat is a cool way to manage the heat. Lawrence’s team has adjusted work schedules into early morning or late afternoon shifts and prioritized tasks requiring outdoor work during the cooler periods, to optimize efficiency and safeguard the team’s health. More mechanization, bigger gangs to reduce workloads and reduce work time are other ways to beat the heat.

It is critical that the human body gets acclimatized to the searing heat, and Prabhakar cautions that it will help if workers are allowed to gradually increase their exposure to direct sunlight. He adds that supervision is very important to quickly identify, and act, if workers are showing signs of HRI.

“Fundamental to our approach is empowering our workforce with knowledge through regular mock drills and classroom sessions on heat-related illnesses, symptoms, and preventive measures,” highlights Lawrence.

At B&F IC’s Common Central Secretariat Project in New Delhi that is sizzling at 45+°C, the site & EHS leadership have identified three activities that involved exposure to heat: external stone cladding, terrace water proofing, and external development work. Mohammad Moizuddin, Head – EHS, HPA SBG, and his team have chalked out a specific heat management programme to safeguard the workers involved in these activities. They organized a health camp in May to review the health of the workmen working outside under the sun. “Being aware of heat stress is vital, for which we remind workmen of it during our daily Toolbox Talks and induction,” informs Moizuddin. “We also encourage workmen to wear reflective clothing to reduce the exposure to heat, drink plenty of water, take frequent breaks, use rest shelters, and the like.”

Institute a heat alert programme

Experts opine that it is essential to form a Heat Alert Committee with representation from the site leadership, EHS, labour, and medical staff to train and alert personnel of HRIs and their fallout, focusing on injury and illness prevention, recognizing symptoms and first-aid procedures. Site teams should ensure adequate stock of cool liquids, first-aid supplies, equipment (such as ice packs and iced bedsheets), and cool rest areas.

HRI could take various forms:

Heat stroke: Training will help supervisors quickly identify cases of heat stroke, for it can potentially be fatal. Signs and symptoms of heat stroke include high body temperature; confusion; loss of coordination; hot, dry skin or profuse sweating; throbbing headaches; seizures; or even coma. Call for medical help immediately and then take steps to bring down the person’s temperature by removing outer clothing, giving cold water, and keeping him/her in a cool place till medical help arrives.

Heat exhaustion: Signs and symptoms include a rapid heart rate, excessive sweating; extreme weakness or fatigue; dizziness; nausea, vomiting; irritability; rapid, shallow breathing; and a slightly high body temperature. Drinking cold water, moving to a cool place, and taking a cold bath can revive the person.

Heat cramps are a result of excessive sweating due to strenuous activity causing muscle cramps, pain, or spasms in the abdomen, arms, or legs. Again, cold water, rest in a cool place, and a cold bath will ease the cramps. Call for medical attention if the worker has heart problems, is on a low-sodium diet, or if the cramps do not subside within one hour.

The challenge for site leaderships in projects located in areas that experience extreme heat conditions is to keep people cool and projects in red-hot forward drive. Both the projects mentioned in this piece have managed to avoid cases of HRI despite the mercury regularly soaring into the high 40s and maintain progress. Perhaps other sites can take their inspiration by turning off the heat for employees and workmen and turning it with productivity.