August in Florida has never been an easy time to be an HVAC technician. When afternoon temperatures are approaching or exceeding 100 degrees, however, we need to pay particular attention to what may be happening several feet above the thermostat — in the attic.
An attic can become considerably hotter than the outdoor air. Add Florida humidity, limited air movement and the physical exertion involved in climbing, crawling, lifting tools and making repairs, and a routine service call can become a serious health risk.
Florida contractors should also understand an unusual aspect of our state’s heat-safety regulations. Florida does not have a comprehensive state occupational heat standard for private employers. Florida Statute 448.106 (scroll down) also prohibits counties and municipalities from requiring private employers to provide heat-exposure protections beyond those required by state or federal law. Those prohibited local requirements can include standards for water consumption, cooling measures, acclimatization, recovery periods, employee monitoring and heat-safety training.
That makes following federal safety guidance particularly important. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not yet have a specific federal heat standard; its proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention rule remains in the rulemaking process. However, OSHA states that employers have an existing obligation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s General Duty Clause to protect employees from recognized serious hazards, including dangerous heat exposure. Find resources HERE.
Recognize the Warning Signs
OSHA identifies heavy sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, thirst and irritability among the warning signs of heat exhaustion. Confusion, slurred speech, fainting or unconsciousness can indicate heat stroke — a medical emergency.
There can also be less obvious warning signs. Heat fatigue can impair skilled manual and mental tasks. For an HVAC technician troubleshooting electrical components, handling tools or balancing on ceiling joists, deteriorating concentration and coordination create additional safety hazards.
Water, Rest and Get Out
OSHA’s basic heat-safety message is simple: Water. Rest. Shade. For attic work, that means getting out of the attic and into an air-conditioned or otherwise cooler recovery area.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that workers performing moderate activity in heat for less than two hours drink approximately eight ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Longer and more frequent rest periods should be considered as temperature, humidity and workload increase or air movement decreases.
What technicians drink matters, too. Cool water should be readily available and consumed regularly rather than waiting for thirst. For extended periods of heavy sweating, electrolyte-containing beverages can help replace salts lost through perspiration. OSHA guidance also recommends avoiding alcoholic beverages and limiting or avoiding caffeine while working in hot environments.
Increasing ventilation or using a portable fan or blower can sometimes improve conditions by moving air across the technician and increasing evaporation of sweat. But a fan shouldn’t create a false sense of security. OSHA notes that fan cooling is generally most effective when the surrounding air temperature is below skin temperature, typically around 95°F. In an extremely hot attic, the better solution may be to get out of the attic and recover in air conditioning rather than simply moving more hot air around.
Whenever practical, contractors can also reduce heat exposure by scheduling especially demanding attic work earlier in the day, reducing unnecessary trips in and out of the attic, having tools and materials ready before entering, and increasing the frequency of cooling breaks as conditions worsen. OSHA specifically recommends modifying schedules, reducing physical demands and requiring rest breaks in cooler environments when heat stress is high.
Contractors should also consider buddy or check-in systems during extreme attic conditions. Someone should know when a technician is in the attic and be able to check on them. New technicians and those returning after time away from hot work should be gradually acclimatized to the conditions.
Sometimes the Correct Decision Is to Come Down
HVAC technicians take pride in getting the job done. But determination becomes dangerous when someone ignores dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea, excessive sweating or declining concentration because there are “just a few more minutes” needed to finish the repair.
Contractors and supervisors should reinforce that coming out of an attic to cool down isn’t wasting time. It’s part of doing the job safely.
Most importantly, technicians need to recognize the difference between being uncomfortable and becoming impaired.
The equipment will still be there after you cool down.
Make sure you will be, too.
Warm regards (no pun intended),
Peter Montana, Managing Director, ACprosite
pmontana@acprosite.com
