Work in hot environments can result in heat illness, a group of medical conditions caused by the body’s inability to cope with heat. Heat illness includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, fainting, and heat stroke.
All university employees who work outdoors may be at risk for heat illness including, but not limited to, field researchers, grounds crews, maintenance workers, and special event staff. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that the measures outlined in this Outdoor Heat Illness Prevention fact sheet are taken to prevent heat illness among employees and completing the Work Planning and Site Checklist to document that controls are in place whenever temperatures are expected to reach 80°F or higher.
Additional resources
Heat Illness Prevention and Response (web content)
Heat Illness Prevention Program (program document)
Indoor Heat Illness (fact sheet)