Canadian Occupational Safety

16 www.thesafetymag.com/ca F E A T U R E SPOTLIGHT ON HEAT AND FLAME PROTECTION A perennial problem in a wide array of industries in Canada, protecting workers from heat and flame is an essential mission for many safety professionals. We asked industry experts to weigh in on key things to consider to ensure optimal protection seasons, says Heidi Lehmann, chief commercial officer at Kenzen. Other drivers of heat injury — regardless of whether the environment is hot — are things such as poor hydration, high exertion or poor acclimatization. Lehmann says this is a problem for new workers, for example, who are not used to a site or a particular type of work. Another factor to consider is microclimate. "Microclimate is the temperature between the skin and the clothing that you are wearing," says Lehmann. This difference in temperature within the same body is something to keep in mind, notably for workers who need to wear layers. Specificities of the employer's duties may vary from province to province, but, usually, some kind of adequate PPE is required. UFCW Canada says Canada does not have specific laws or regulations that govern heat exposure and heat stress. It says that the government, usually under the office of the Ministry of Labour, applies threshold limit values (TLV) as outlined by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Regardless of legislation, employers need to ensure that they are investing in proper PPE to ensure worker safety. Heat protection It can be confusing for consumers to know which materials to look out for — especially because each industry has different needs and the dangers of exposure to heat can manifest in different ways. "The ability for a fabric to lock heat or to prevent the transfer of heat through is what you should be looking at," says Brian Nutt, product director at Tingley. "As a consumer, you want to be concerned about what the potential level of heat that could hit the garment is and how much of it is going to get blocked and trapped or get transferred through to the wearer. "[Tingley does] a lot of liquid-proof apparel. People are concerned about liquids melting the [high heat- resistant] suit and passing through which is what complicates a situation," says Nutt. He notably mentions steel workers working with materials such as molten steel. "The ability for a fabric to lock heat or to prevent the transfer of heat through is what you should be looking at." Brian Nutt, Tingley EDITORIAL note: This feature will not cover PPE for firefighters as that is a very specific niche and deserves its own editorial (keep your eyes peeled in future for that!). Each year, hundreds of workers in Canada are affected by heat stress. According to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada), an estimated 220 workers in Canada and the U.S. die each year from occupational heat stress. Heat stress — and heat-related injuries such as cramps, syncope or hyperpyrexia — occur when the body overheats. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says that most people feel comfortable when the air temperature is between 20°C and 27°C (and when relative humidity ranges from 35 to 60 per cent). Danger occurs when very hot environments drive your internal body temperature several degrees above the normal temperature of 37°C, which overwhelms the body's natural cooling systems. There are many factors that can contribute to heat stress: air temperature, hot sources, humidity and, of course, what type of clothing or equipment a worker is wearing. There are several things employers can do to ensure that workers are safely working in hot conditions — wearing the right PPE is a key part of this. Heat protection is, of course, necessary in certain environments that are typically hot. But what is interesting is that 17 per cent of all exertional heat injuries happen in the cool weather or in the shifting of the FLASH FIRE VERSUS ARC FLASH Sources: Westex, OSHA. A flash fire is a rapidly moving flame front that spreads through diffuse fuel. When it occurs, it is usually brief but intense. Flash fires are caused by various fuels, ranging from a number of hydrocarbons to combustible dust. Ignition can occur from various heat sources. An arc flash is a phenomenon where a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another or to ground. Because of the violent nature of an arc flash exposure when an employee is injured, the injury is serious — even resulting in death.

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