Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Scope

This procedure applies to all Lane Community College (LCC) employees whose work activities result in a heat index exposure of 80°F or higher. This includes both outdoor work and work performed in any indoor environment where the ambient heat index cannot be mechanically maintained below 80°F.

Exemptions:

• Incidental Exposure: Employees are exempt if they perform work in heat for 15 minutes or less in any 6-hour period.

1. Exposure Assessment and Monitoring

Managers or their designees will monitor the heat index at the start of each shift and as conditions change, using the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool app or similar digital monitoring.

• Trigger (80°F): Implement basic heat illness prevention (water, shade, acclimatization).
• High Heat Trigger (90°F): Implement "High Heat" practices, including mandatory rest schedules and enhanced communication.

Warning Note: When there is reduced air quality due to wildfire smoke, and N95 mandates are active during high heat, supervisors should proactively increase rest break frequencies or lower physical workload thresholds. Any worn PPE increases the heat burden.

Signs of Dehydration and Heat Stress:

Employees and managers shall be trained to recognize the following early symptoms:

• Early Indicators: Extreme thirst, fatigue, dizziness, or light-headedness.
• Physical Signs: Less frequent urination, dark-colored urine, and flushed (red) skin.
• Cognitive/Physical Strain: Nausea, confusion, headache, or muscle cramps

Emergency Care

If an employee exhibits severe symptoms (e.g., severe confusion, fainting, or inability to drink), call Public Safety at (541) 463-5555 (Main Campus) or 911 (Remote locations).

• Stay with the employee until they are checked and cleared. 
• Move the employee to a shaded, cool area and remove outer clothing.
• Have the employee sit or lie down and drink water.
• Cool the employee by wetting skin and/or placing cold wet cloths on head or neck.
• Fan area around the employee to speed cooling.

2. Drinking Water

When the heat index equals or exceeds 80°F, employees should drink plenty of water using the LCC drinking fountains, bottle filling stations, or break room sinks. It is the employees’ responsibility to stay appropriately hydrated throughout the day.

• Facilities Employees ONLY: Will be provided with a 32-ounce insulated water bottle to facilitate this requirement at no cost to employees.
  • It is the Facilities employees’ responsibility to: 
    • Fill up this water bottle at a break room sink or bottle filling station.
    • Stay appropriately hydrated throughout the day.
    • Clean the water bottle.

3. Shade and Rest Areas

When the heat index is 80°F or higher, LCC provides "shaded" areas (natural or artificial) or "conditioned" indoor spaces for breaks. The vast majority of LCC exterior work spaces are near a conditioned building. Breaks may be taken in the public areas of any conditioned building, or in any of the many exterior shaded areas.

Emergency Cooling

Shaded or conditioned areas serve as the primary location for cooling heat-affected employees while waiting for medical help.

4. High Heat Practices (Heat Index ≥ 90°F)

When the heat index reaches or exceeds 90°F, the following additional protections are mandatory:

• Communication:
  • Office staff shall confirm the safety of outdoor employees once per hour via radio, text, or phone call. All employees working outside when the heat index reaches 90°F or greater, shall carry a radio or cell phone.
  • Office staff for the applicable department shall confirm safety of employees working outside once per hour by doing a roll call over the radio, text or phone call.
  • This also applies to employees working in a building when the heat index reaches 90°F or greater in the building.
• Buddy System Mandate & Assignment:
  • Mandatory Participation: Every active employee must be actively integrated into a buddy pair or designated check-in group. "Not having a buddy" is never an option, nor does it permit an employee to declare themselves inactive or excuse themselves from shift responsibilities. If an employee is on active duty, they must be paired.
  • Automatic Assignment: If you are currently deployed or performing tasks alongside a coworker, that person is automatically your designated safety buddy.
  • Independent/Lone Workers: Employees scheduled to work alone or independently are prohibited from doing so without oversight. They must contact their supervisor or manager before commencing outdoor or unconditioned indoor tasks to be formally assigned a buddy or added to an active radio check-in group.
• Buddy Responsibilities & Monitoring Expectations: Buddies share mutual accountability and must remain in continuous communication. Partners are required to actively monitor each other for the following early warning signs:
  • Behavioral & Cognitive Shifts: Uncharacteristic irritability, sudden fatigue, loss of focus, clumsiness, slurred speech, or unusual mistakes during routine tasks.
  • Physical Indicators: A heavily flushed or unusually pale face, a visibly slowed work pace, stumbling, lack of coordination, or a sudden cessation of sweating while working. 
  • Proactive Intervention: If a buddy observes any early warning signs or if an employee complains of headaches, dizziness, or muscle cramps, work must be halted immediately. The buddy must guide the affected employee to a cool, shaded area, ensure they slowly sip cool water, and notify the supervisor right away. No employee shall be permitted to "tough it out."

• Mandatory Rest Breaks: Breaks must follow the LCC Rest Break Schedule.

  Heat Index (°F)	Rest break durations and intervals
  90°F or greater	10 minutes every two hours
  95°F or greater	20 minutes every hour
  100°F or greater	30 minutes every hour
  105°F or greater	40 minutes every hour

5. Acclimatization

LCC implements a gradual acclimatization plan for new workers or those returning from a prolonged absence. Our plan is aligned with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standard (OSHA Option B).

• Standard Schedule: Begin with 20% of normal workload on Day 1, increasing by 20% each subsequent day. For workers who have had previous experience with the job, the acclimatization regimen must be no more than 50% of the usual duration of work in the hot environment on day 1, 60% on day 2, 80% on day 3, and 100% on day 4.
   
• Heat Wave Schedule: During a rapid change leading to excessively hot weather or conditions such as a heat wave, even experienced workers should begin on the first day of work in excessive heat with 50% of the normal workload and time spent in the hot environment, 60% on the second day, 80% on day three, and 100% on the fourth day. Full acclimatization may take up to 14 days or longer depending on factors relating to the individual, such as increased risk of heat illness due to certain medications or medical conditions, or the environment.

Acclimatization can occur naturally for outdoor workers in a hot climate as the weather changes. However, acclimatization activities are essential for new workers, workers who have been out sick or on vacation, and all workers during a heat wave. It is important to be extra-careful with these workers and recognize immediately the symptoms of possible heat-related illness.

6. Reporting

• Illness Reporting: Any heat-related illness must be reported immediately to a supervisor. If medical treatment is sought, an Employee Accident/Incident Analysis Form and Form 801 must be submitted to HR by the next workday.
• Critical Mandates: Fatalities or hospitalizations (catastrophes) must be reported to Oregon OSHA within 8 hours. 

Documentation

Managers or their designees are responsible for verifying that all applicable employees complete the annual heat illness prevention training in Vector each year.