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Hydration during hot days

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To stay hydrated during hot days in the workplace, employers must ensure a sufficient supply of drinking water is readily available to employees at no cost when the heat index equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit [1]. The drinking water should be either cool or cold [1], with employees having the opportunity to drink up to 32 ounces per hour 2, 3. While electrolyte-replenishing beverages are acceptable substitutes, they should not completely replace water [1].

In addition to providing water, employers should train employees on the importance of frequent water consumption and the symptoms of dehydration 3, 4. Encouraging employees to stay hydrated is also crucial [2].

When the heat index reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit, employers should implement high-heat practices, including a written heat illness prevention rest break schedule 2, 13. These rest breaks should occur in shaded areas or cool, climate-controlled areas 4, 5 to allow employees to cool down and recover [3].

3 source record(s)

Sources used for this answer

[1] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 988

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Source excerpt

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules AO 1-2025 Division 2 - (c) The shade must be located as close as practical to the areas where employees are working. - (d) Shade present during meal periods must be large enough to accommodate the number of employees on the meal period that remain onsite. - (e) If trees or other vegetation are used to provide shade, such as in orchards or forests, the thickness and shape of the shaded area must provide sufficient shadow to protect employees. - Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that providing access to shade is not safe or it interferes with the ability of employers and employees to complete the necessary work in a particular situation, for example, during high winds or when an employee is walking through range land, employers must identify and implement alternative cooling measures that provide equivalent protection such as providing cooling vests (either with fans or ice packs), water-dampened cotton clothing, or similar effective measures. The Heat Illness Prevention Plan under section (8) must include the use, care, and maintenance of the alternative cooling methods, in writing. - (4) Drinking water. Ensure that a sufficient supply of drinking water is immediately and readily available to exposed employees at all times, at no cost, when the heat index in the work area equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. - (a) Supplied drinking water must be either cool or cold, see subsection (2)(b). - (b) Supply each employee with enough drinking water to enable them to consume up to 32 ounces per hour. Employers are not required to supply the entire quantity of drinking water needed for all employees on a full shift at the beginning of the shift. Employers may begin the shift with smaller quantities of drinking water when effective procedures are established to replenish the water consumed during the shift. - (c) Employees must have ample opportunity to drink water required under this

[2] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 993

Open source document

Source excerpt

J Division 2 AO 1-2025 Oregon Administrative Rules Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division - (8) Heat illness prevention plan. Develop, implement, and maintain an effective heat illness prevention plan in writing. The plan must be made available at the worksite to employees and to Oregon OSHA upon request. The plan must contain at least the following information: - (a) How employees will be trained on the hazards of heat exposure and the necessary steps to prevent heat-related illnesses; - (b) How to recognize the symptoms of dehydration, and how to respond to suspected heat-related illnesses in others; - (c) How sufficient amounts of cool, potable water in work areas will be provided; - (d) How employees will be provided frequent opportunities and encouragement to stay hydrated by drinking water; - (e) How employees will be provided sufficient space to rest in a shaded area or cool climate-controlled area, and where heat-affected employees may cool off and recover when signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses are recognized; - (f) How the employer will implement the heat illness prevention rest break schedule when necessary to keep employees safe; and - (g) How the employer will implement heat acclimatization procedures for new employees or employees returning to work from extended absences of seven or more days. - (9) Supervisor and employee training. Provide heat illness prevention training to all employees, including new employees, supervisory and non-supervisory employees in a language and vocabulary readily understood, and in a manner that facilitates employee feedback. Such training must be provided annually before employees begin work that should reasonably be anticipated to expose them to the risk of heat illness, and include at least the following: - (a) The environmental and personal risk factors (for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, kidney disease, obesity, etc.) for heat illness that may limit an individual's toler

[3] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 990

Open source document

Source excerpt

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules AO 1-2025 Division 2 - (e) Develop and implement a written heat illness prevention rest break schedule that protects employees exposed to a heat index equal to or greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Employers must choose and implement only one of the three options; choose either (A), (B), or (C) as described below. Note: The purpose of the heat illness prevention rest breaks is to allow the body to cool down and recover from working when the heat index equals or is greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Note: Option (A) allows an employer to implement a self-designed schedule by building on a minimum rest break schedule using four specified elements. Option (B) allows an employer to implement a schedule by using an example heat illness prevention plan designed by NIOSH. Option (C) allows an employer to implement a schedule by using a simplified schedule designed by Oregon OSHA and based on a high-heat scenario in the NIOSH plan. - (A) Employer-designed heat illness prevention rest break schedule: Implement a written employer-specific, heat illness prevention rest break schedule using the minimum rest break durations and intervals in Table 1. Employers must protect employees from heat illness by integrating the elements in subsections (i) through (iv) into to their heat illness prevention rest break schedule, which may increase the duration or interval of the rest break beyond the minimum requirements to be protective. - (i) The effect of personal protective equipment (PPE) on the body's ability to retain heat; - (ii) The effect of the type of work clothing on the body's ability to retain heat; - (iii) Relative humidity, whether work activities are indoors or outdoors; and - (iv) The intensity of the work being performed. Note: Employers should consider the effect of exposure to direct sunlight when developing employer-specific heat illness prevention rest break schedule. Table 1 - Mini

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