Heat stress

Heat stress is the heat your body takes on, not just the weather. Three things add up: the heat your muscles make when you work, the heat in the air and sun, and the heat that clothing and gear trap. Hot, humid, still air makes it worse.

More heat stress raises the risk of a heat-related illness. Workers who are new to the heat face more risk, so acclimatization matters. Tools like the heat index and WBGT help crews judge the load. Read the full plan in our heat stress prevention guide.