The following link shows a detailed report from the Louisiana Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program with the Occupational Health and Injury Surveillance Program at the Louisiana Department of Health. The hazard alert was shared in a newsletter from the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
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Summary
On August 5, 2019, a 52-year-old male Hispanic farm worker exhibited symptoms of heat-related illness and later fell unconscious after working outside for several hours. Paramedics were called to the scene, and he was transported to a local hospital, after which he was airlifted to a regional medical center and admitted to the ICU. He died several days later from heat stroke on August 11, 2019.
Contributing factors
Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include:
- Insufficient worker acclimatization program
- Lack of adequate breaks and shaded areas for workers
- Failure to monitor for symptoms of heat-related illness
- Lack of a written heat-related illness prevention plan
Recommendations
Louisiana FACE investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:
- Develop and implement an acclimatization program for each worker at risk of heat-related illness.
- Provide enough breaks with adequate shaded areas for workers.
- Monitor workers for symptoms of heat-related illness during periods of heat stress.
- Develop a written heat-related illness prevention program.
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