Heat

Heat-related Illnesses and First Aid

Illustration of a man's head who seems to have a high body temperature

Heat stroke, the most serious form of heat-related illness, happens when the body becomes unable to regulate its core temperature. Sweating stops and the body can no longer rid itself of excess heat. Signs include confusion, loss of consciousness, and seizures. Heat stroke is a medical emergency that may result in death! Call 911 immediately.

Illustration of a man's head who sweating

Heat exhaustion is the body's response to loss of water and salt from heavy sweating. Signs include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, and heavy sweating.

Illustration of a leg which denotes cramping

Heat cramps are caused by the loss of body salts and fluid during sweating. Low salt levels in muscles cause painful cramps. Tired muscles—those used for performing the work—are usually the ones most affected by cramps. Cramps may occur during or after working hours.

Heat rash, also known as prickly heat, is skin irritation caused by sweat that does not evaporate from the skin. Heat rash is the most common problem in hot work environments.

The chart below shows symptoms and first aid measures to take if a worker shows signs of a heat-related illness.

Illness	Symptoms	First Aid^*
Heat stroke	Confusion Fainting Seizures Excessive sweating or red, hot, dry skin Very high body temperature	Call 911 While waiting for help: Place worker in shady, cool area Loosen clothing, remove outer clothing Fan air on worker; cold packs in armpits Wet worker with cool water; apply ice packs, cool compresses, or ice if available Provide fluids (preferably water) as soon as possible Stay with worker until help arrives
Heat exhaustion	Cool, moist skin Heavy sweating Headache Nausea or vomiting Dizziness Light headedness Weakness Thirst Irritability Fast heart beat	Have worker sit or lie down in a cool, shady area Give worker plenty of water or other cool beverages to drink Cool worker with cold compresses/ice packs Take to clinic or emergency room for medical evaluation or treatment if signs or symptoms worsen or do not improve within 60 minutes. Do not return to work that day
Heat cramps	Muscle spasms Pain Usually in abdomen, arms, or legs	Have worker rest in shady, cool area Worker should drink water or other cool beverages Wait a few hours before allowing worker to return to strenuous work Have worker seek medical attention if cramps don't go away
Heat rash	Clusters of red bumps on skin Often appears on neck, upper chest, folds of skin	Try to work in a cooler, less humid environment when possible Keep the affected area dry
^* Remember, if you are not a medical professional, use this information as a guide only to help workers in need.

For more information about heat-related illnesses:

OSHA Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers
OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) Chapter – Heat Stress. OSHA Directive TED 01-00-015 [TED 1-0.15A], (September 15, 2017). Includes useful sections on heat illness, prevention programs, assessment and screening for heat stress in the workplace.
Heat Illness. National Institutes of Health, Medline Plus. Includes information in multiple languages.
Heat: A Major Killer. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service. Links to landing page with NWS's heat index description and chart.
Heat Stress and Strain: TLV® Physical Agents 7th Edition Documentation. Summarizes the scientific data used by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) used to derive its threshold limit value (TLV) for heat exposure.