The heat is on! Whether you work indoors or outside, in public services or for private enterprises, extreme heat can affect your health causing both short and long-term health effects. Left unaddressed, heat stress can be deadly. A study published in the Lancet Planetary Health concluded that in Canada an estimated 220 workers die annually from occupational heat stress.

Action is needed now. Yes, we are working as a movement for stronger, enforceable legislation to help protect all workers. But there is much we can do in our workplaces today. To this end, the Ontario Federation of Labour, Workers Health & Safety Centre and Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers have joined forces to create a unique training opportunity.

Training participants will explore how the body reacts to temperature extremes and specific situations where workers may be exposed to dangerous levels. Measures for identifying and assessing potential health risks are also covered. And most importantly, participants will consider specific methods of controlling worker exposure to temperature extremes, weighing the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of each, and an escalating scale of appropriate interventions.

The course will conclude with have a hands-on portion where participants will learn to set up a thermal hygrometer to measure temperature and humidity. Next, they will look at a number of ways to turn that data into Humidex charts, online calculators or spreadsheets and interpret the results. Finally, they will discuss a project to centrally gather data collected and accompanying records of workplace interventions, so we can develop a report of how Ontario workplaces manage heat stress this August and September. Let's see what works and what does not. The evidence will help inform next steps in a larger campaign to prevent heat stress in Ontario workplaces.

Please note: Registrants will receive follow up emails from Workers Health & Safety Centre with invoices and training details. The course name in these communications will read as “Heat and Cold Stress.” But for purposes of these courses heat stress will be emphasized.