Heat-Related Illness (HRIs) in the industrial workplace and the traditional sports world share a common intersect. While the environments may differ, the physiological mechanisms and preventative strategies overlap. When taking into account the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Heat Stress Illnesses, it is hard not to look at the sports world as an analog for proactive and preventative measures. Both athletes and industrial workers are subject to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, leading to heat stress and related illnesses. The physiological responses such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and core temperature increases exist and are similar in both settings.
Heat Stress Procedures from the Sports World
Sports medicine professionals are trained to monitor environmental conditions, assess at-risk individuals, and implement preventive measures. Their experience with sports teams provides them with critical insights into managing hydration, acclimatization, and emergency cooling strategies which are directly applicable to industrial environments. When this expertise is implemented, we often see that specific workforce populations have a positive impact through high productivity, better work recovery, and a boost in team morale. The same principles used to prepare athletes such as gradual acclimatization, monitoring of environmental heat indices, and real-time assessment of exertion level can be tailored to industrial workers. Industrial settings could benefit from sports medicine experience in adjusting workloads, scheduling rest breaks, using cooling interventions effectively, and providing wellness education aiming at building healthier behaviors to assist with beating the heat. Should an individual sustain an HRI after implementing mitigation strategies, an emergency response and treatment plan should be activated. Sports medicine professionals are well-versed in identifying early signs of HRIs and administering immediate care, such as cold-water immersion for heat stroke. Incorporating their skills into industrial safety programs could enhance on-site emergency response capabilities. Integrating this model into industrial safety teams could foster collaboration between health professionals, safety officers, and occupational health specialists, leading to a comprehensive approach that prioritizes worker health like athletes.
Sports Medicine Professionals have not only curated, created and carried out heat stress illness policies and practices, but they are capable of combating and caring for musculoskeletal dysfunction (MSD) as well. Through working with employees 1-on-1 for early intervention of MSD complaints both proactively or reactively, via OSHA first aid. Or providing ergonomic insights from their vast experience of both human motion and injury epidemiology. When a uniquely qualified professional is functioning in an onsite capacity, the intersection of having a rapport, and may having worked with employees for 1-on-1 care, plus the capacity to evaluate work tasks and recommends ergonomic changes, is an unmatched value in injury prevention. And then who better to provide effective education to employees than an external onsite asset able to bring knowledge and experience from the sports world to meet employees where they are.
OSHA’s National Emphasis Program (NEP)
The confluence of integrating a heat stress injury prevention plan with concurrent or new injury prevention initiatives that are supported externally cannot be over looked. As outlined in OSHAs heat stress NEP and proposed regulations; employers are required to seek the input and involvement of non-managerial employees and their representatives when evaluating the worksite for heat hazards and when developing and implementing the Heat Illness Prevention Plan. Supporting your injury prevention initiatives not only through early onsite care for MSDs but support in crafting heat tress plans and monitoring, tracking, and manage the processes laid out.
When identifying the uniquely qualified individuals, you need look no further than the sidelines of your favorite sport. Athletic Trainers (ATs) are master level trained sports medicine professional that combine the quick-thinking reactionary prowess of and EMT, with the ability to resolve years and years of physical wear and tear of that of a physical therapist and then reinforce movement patterns and optimize resiliency like a strength coach. Not only are Athletic Trainers specifically skilled in the diverse parameters to prevent onsite injuries, but their engagement is focused “in-the-field”. These professionals are not maintaining a presence in a first-aid room all day, nor are they manning a desk alongside safety, they are out on-site/in the operation to engage with employees and execute proactive injury prevention services as well as optimize health and wellness.
The Need for Comprehensive Heat Illness Prevention Programs
Professional athletes and industrial employees both use their bodies for a living, all be it at various speeds, forces and positions across differing durations and exposures. The fact of the matter is, the same cutting-edge concepts used in the sport to ensure performance are the exact same concepts that would translate to safety in the world of industry. General injuries in both settings are inevitable, but HRIs are 100% preventable through the utilization of Athletic Trainers and Heat-Related Illness prevention plans. Heat Illness prevention IS injury prevention, but injury prevention eclipses heat illness prevention. When thinking about how are may choose to fulfill future OSHA requirements around heat stress, think about how that might also serve your specific entities global effort of injury prevention.Enhancing the Work Environment
The involvement of Athletic Trainers in managing heat illness prevention programs offers significant benefits. At BIOKINETIX, our team brings their expertise directly to your worksite, with the ability to serve as Heat Safety Coordinators. We can ensure that all preventive measures are effectively implemented and continuously monitored. This hands-on approach not only helps meet OSHA requirements but also enhances overall worker safety and productivity. Heat-related illnesses are a preventable threat that requires proactive management. By partnering with BIOKINETIX, employers can leverage the unique expertise of Athletic Trainers to create and maintain comprehensive heat illness prevention programs.BIOKINETIX Can Help
OAt BIOKINETIX, we specialize in implementing Athletic Trainers into the industrial setting. A national survey, conducted by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) of industrial companies who employ Athletic Trainers, identified a reduction greater than 25% in workers’ compensation claims for musculoskeletal disorders. Half of the companies surveyed reported a decrease of at least 50% in work-related injuries among employees. Not only are the numbers of injuries sustained in the workplace minimized through employing an Athletic Trainer, but also the severity of injuries sustained decreased by 25% among 94% of the industrial companies surveyed. When injuries occur, ATs allow employees to progress back into work demands through return-to-work programs safely and efficiently. Approximately 50% of companies that provide an on-site Athletic Training program showed a 50% decrease in health care costs. The positive impact that ATs (provided by BIOKINETIX) have on industrial companies is evident through a 100% favorable return-on-investment from companies employing ATs.
Contact BIOKINETIX today to assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive Heat Illness Prevention Plan while fostering a safer, more resilient workforce.
