Innovative Mobile App Aims to Combat Heat Stress

Heat records were shattered this past summer and the early fall forecast predicts above average temperatures to continue in large areas of the country, countless outdoor workers face significant health risks from heat hazards on the job.

To address the increased risk of heat illnesses posed by rising temperatures, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) announced on September 10  the availability of its new free AIHA Heat Stress Mobile App.

“As climate change continues, AIHA recognizes the need to better protect workers from heat stress—which is why our team of occupational and environmental health and safety experts worked so diligently to develop an app that can more accurately gauge heat stress risks in real time, unlike any tool offered previously,” said Lawrence D. Sloan, CEO of AIHA, in a statement. 

Developed by leading OEHS heat safety experts from the AIHA’s Thermal Stress Working Group in partnership with East Carolina University, the AIHA Heat Stress Mobile App is now available as a free download on both iOS and Android platforms. Prior to the official launch, AIHA requested input from target audiences during its Open Beta testing phase earlier this summer and modified the app based on feedback.

This easy-to-use tool allows users to input the following customized information that will factor into their overall heat stress risk assessment:

• Location (multiple locations can be selected)
• Intensity of workload (users can select light, moderate, heavy, very heavy)
• Clothing type (six different options)
• Cloud coverage (degree of sun exposure)
• Preferred language (English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese)

By combining this information with local weather data automatically pulled from the local National Weather Service, the app calculates the individual’s Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index—the gold standard for evaluating heat stress that incorporates air temperature, relative humidity, wind, and radiant heat—and associated heat stress risk level. The app also delivers heat alerts based on the user’s work schedule and their location’s current heat stress risk level, as well as health recommendations (i.e., rest breaks and water consumption) based on their individual risk level. Additional resources available include fast reads on recommended heat stress prevention measures, warning signs of heat-related illness, and first aid recommendations to assist a worker in distress.

Dr. Morrissey-Basler’s research has shown that workers experiencing heat-related symptoms do not perform their job as efficiently as workers not impacted by this type of heat exposure, which can negatively impact an organization’s bottom line. In addition, recent research has shown that there are more than 700 heat-related fatalities per year on average in the United States, making environmental heat exposure the leading cause of weather-related deaths.

While both the AIHA Heat Stress Mobile App and the Heat Safety Tool released by OSHA and NIOSH in 2017 have several similar features, a significant difference is that the OSHA/NIOSH app calculates heat risk based on the heat index or “feel like temperature” rather than the more accurate WBGT. The AIHA Heat Stress Mobile App is not a replacement of the OSHA/NIOSH app, but the new app utilizing the WBGT is a more advanced version that both employees and employers can use with additional tools designed to calculate high and extreme heat stress risks more accurately for workload types.

While the new app monitors the WBGT index in real time, another distinguishing feature is its ability to forecast the WBGT up to five days in the future. Dr. Morrissey-Basler noted that the ability to determine the projected WBGT ahead of time can help employers plan and adjust their work schedules accordingly. The app can assess weather data globally.

Dr. Morrissey-Basler added that exposure to extreme heat can result in occupational illnesses caused by heat stress, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, cardiac events, kidney injury, or even death. Heat can also increase workers’ risk of injuries, as it may result in sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, dizziness, and may reduce brain function responsible for reasoning ability—creating additional hazards.

As part of AIHA’s ongoing commitment to raising awareness of the dangers of occupational heat stress, new free resources devoted to workplace heat stress were recently added to its Healthier Workplaces website. A separate section for employees outlines personal risk factors that increase one’s risk of heat-related injuries or illnesses on the job, tools to assess personal fluid needs, and important warning signs and symptoms of exertional heat stroke. In addition, employers can find strategies to establish evidence-based heat stress protocols designed to safeguard both indoor and outdoor workers.