Heat Illness Prevention Training Courses
HEAT ILLNESS RECOGNITION AND PREVENTION – INITIAL & REFRESHER TRAINING COURSES
Equip yourself and your team with the essential knowledge and tools needed to prevent heat illness and related hazards in hot work environments with our online heat illness recognition and prevention training courses. Designed for a wide range of industries where excessive heat can affect workers, these courses emphasize practical insights for ensuring safety, compliance, and well-being of employees who work in hot conditions, both indoors and out.
Heat Illness Recognition & Prevention - Initial Training Course
Only $24.00
Heat Illness and Prevention - Refresher Training Course
Only $18.00
OVERVIEW OF HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION TRAINING COURSES
These Heat Illness Prevention Training Courses are ideal for employees, as well as their managers and supervisors, who are in need of comprehensive training on the causes and prevention of heat-related injuries and illnesses. It is applicable to all workplaces, including but not limited to —construction, renovations, demolition sites, road building, manufacturing, assembly plants, commercial bakeries, oil and gas exploration and production, refineries, chemical plants, emergency responders, HazMat clean-up, lawn care and landscaping, utilities, agriculture, warehousing, transportation, mining, service industries, and many more.
Topics Covered in These Training Courses:
- Physiological effects of heat and humidity on the human body.
- Recognizing and responding to heat illnesses, such as heat stress, heat rash, heat cramps, syncope, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
- Understanding the effects of both heat and humidity on the heat index.
- Important do’s and don’ts about proper clothing and protective gear.
- Effective work practices, administrative controls, and engineering solutions to lessen heat stress.
Additional Details:
- Prerequisites: None.
- Language: English (proficiency in reading and understanding required).
- Testing Requirements:
- Pass all module quizzes, and a final exam with a minimum score of 80% (no final exam in refresher course).
- Retake options available for failed quizzes/exams, up to three attempts. After three failed attempts, failed modules or the course can be automatically repeated at no extra charge.
- Course Materials: Printable notes packet, OSHA heat illness prevention resources, National Weather Service (NWS) heat index chart, and related links.
- Duration: Approximate initial training course is 60 minutes; the refresher course is approximately 45 minutes.
- Cost: $24 for initial course; $18 for refresher course (Discounts automatically applied at the cart when purchasing 5+ courses).
- Refund Policy: Refunds are available within 72 hours of course purchase unless the course is completed.
Training Certification:
Once a course is successfully completed, the student (or their Learner Manager) can print the student’s personalized training certification. This certificate contains the identity of the course completed, the student’s name, the date of course completion, and the name and signature of the course trainer/subject matter expert.
Signing Up for the Course:
There are two options to purchase the course; the best option for you depends on if you are a single student in need of a course for yourself, or if you have a group of students to register for their own course.
Individual students may click the ADD TO CART button above to purchase one course, and they can start training right then or later, depending on what works best for them. The student may sign in and out of their course at any time (log in link appears on their confirmation email) to train when convenient, even from a different computer or device.
Someone having two or more students in need of training may click the BUY IN BULK (2 or more) button above. Then they will be prompted to register as a Learner Manager, and then they can purchase the number of courses needed through their learner manager account, then enroll their students and assign their courses whenever needed. Once their course is assigned, the student receives a confirmation email with login link and information, and can train at their own pace. Best of all, the Learner Manager can log into their learner manager account and check on the progress of all students, and can also access / print each students’ training certification. Learner Managers can also purchase additional courses at a later time to assign to the same, or other, students.
Heat Illness Prevention Training and OSHA Compliance
While federal OSHA currently does not have a specific standard requiring employers to provide heat illness prevention training, employers are still obligated to protect their workers from known hazards, including extreme heat conditions. OSHA enforces this responsibility under the General Duty Clause, Section (5)(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
What is the General Duty Clause?
The General Duty Clause states that employers must provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. When workers are exposed to severe hot (and humid) weather conditions without adequate protection or training, OSHA considers this a violation of the General Duty Clause, and issues the employer a citation that could carry a hefty monetary penalty.
State OSHA Heat Illness Training Requirements
A majority of states run their own state OSHA programs, and several of them do have mandatory requirements for heat illness prevention programs, which includes providing heat illness prevention training for affected workers. These states include the following:
- California: Cal. Code of Regs. title 8, section 3395
- Colorado: 7 Colo. Code Regs. section 1103-15
- Minnesota: Minn. R. 5205.0110
- Nevada: LCB File No. R131-24P
- Oregon: Or. Admin. R. 437-002-0156; Or. Admin. R. 437-004-1131
- Washington: Wash. Admin. Code sections 296-62-095 through 296-62-09560; 296-307-097 through 296-307-09760
Other state run OSHA programs who do not have heat illness prevention standards enforce worker safety in hot conditions by issuing citations under their own state’s general duty clause.
Heat Stress and Employer Responsibilities
Exposure to extremely hot (and humid) conditions can lead to serious health risks, including heat stress, heat rash, heat syncope (fainting), heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. These heat stress conditions are recognized hazards, and OSHA expects employers to take preventative measures, such as:
- Providing cool water for workers during their shifts.
- Providing shade structures for outdoor workers to utilize during their breaks.
- Implementing safe work/rest schedules.
- Educating workers on recognizing and preventing heat stress and other heat-related illnesses.
The Cost of Non-Compliance
When OSHA determines that an employer has failed to protect workers from extreme heat risks, it can issue citations under the General Duty Clause. These citations often come with significant monetary penalties, which can be financially damaging and tarnish a company’s safety record.
Protect Your Workers and Your Business
While there’s no specific federal standard, providing heat illness recognition and prevention training is an effective way to ensure compliance with OSHA’s expectations. Training helps workers identify heat illness risks, understand prevention methods, and stay safe on the job—benefiting both employees and employers.
Proactively investing in heat illness prevention training demonstrates your commitment to worker safety, reduces the risk of costly OSHA citations, and ensures a healthier, more productive workforce.
12 Helpful Facts About Heat Illness Prevention in the Workplace
Heat Illness Can Happen Even in Mild Weather – Workers can suffer from heat stress even when temperatures are only in the 80s. High humidity, direct sun, and physical labor make the body heat up quickly, sometimes before symptoms are even noticed.
Once You’ve Had Heat Stroke, You’re at Higher Risk – A worker who has experienced heat stroke before is more likely to suffer from it again. Their body’s ability to regulate temperature may be permanently affected, so they need extra precautions in hot conditions.
Thirst Isn’t a Good Indicator of Hydration – If a worker waits until they feel thirsty to drink water, they’re already dehydrated. Drinking some water every 15-20 minutes help prevent heat-related illnesses before they start.
Wearing the Wrong Clothing Can Make Heat Stress Worse – Heavy or dark-colored clothing traps heat, making it harder for the body to cool down. Light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable fabrics are best for working in the heat.
Certain Medications Can Increase Heat Risk – Some prescription and over-the-counter medications, including blood pressure meds, allergy pills, and antidepressants, can interfere with the body’s ability to cool itself. Workers taking these should be monitored closely.
Heat Illness Can Happen Indoors Too – Many people think of heat stress as an outdoor issue, but factories, warehouses, kitchens, and other indoor worksites without proper ventilation can be just as dangerous. Indoor workers also need hydration and cooling breaks.
Humidity Makes It Harder to Cool Down – When the air is humid, sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily, making the body’s natural cooling system less effective. A heat index of 90°F in high humidity can feel like 105°F or worse. (See our short video below for more info about this topic)
Heat Stroke Can Happen in Less Than 10 Minutes – A worker’s core body temperature can rise above 104°F quickly, leading to confusion, dizziness, or unconsciousness. If this happens, they need immediate cooling and emergency medical attention.
Caffeine and Alcohol Can Increase Dehydration – Coffee, energy drinks, and alcohol can make dehydration worse by pulling water from the body. Workers should drink water or electrolyte drinks to replace lost fluids.
New Workers and Those Returning from Time Off Are at Higher Risk – It takes time for the body to adjust to heat. New employees and those coming back from vacation or illness should have a gradual workload increase over several days to allow their bodies to acclimate.
Older Workers Are More Susceptible to Heat Illness – The body’s ability to regulate temperature declines with age. Workers over 50 may take longer to cool down and should be given extra water breaks and monitored for signs of heat stress.
Fans Don’t Always Help in Extreme Heat – If the air is too hot and humid, a fan won’t actually cool a worker down. Instead, shaded rest areas, misting fans, and cool drinking water are much more effective at preventing heat illness.
The Shocking Impact of Humidity on the Heat Index
My name is Curtis Chambers. As the producer and subject matter expert for our two online Heat Illness Recognition and Prevention courses, I’ve conducted extensive research on the topic. One of the most overlooked and misunderstood heat-risk factors I found is the impact of humidity on the body. It’s not just the temperature that makes heat dangerous—it’s how your body responds to it.
Consider this: Is a 95-degree day in Houston TX easier to handle than a 106-degree day in Phoenix AZ? You might think so, but in many cases, it’s not. The difference? Humidity.
The National Weather Service’s (NWS) heat index chart (see below) combines air temperature and relative humidity to estimate how hot it actually feels. This is crucial for understanding heat illness risks, as humidity can make conditions far more dangerous than the thermometer alone suggests.
Take Phoenix and Houston, for example. Phoenix, with its dry desert climate, sees average July highs of around 106°F, but the average humidity is just around 20%. As a result, the heat index stays much closer to the actual air temperature. Even with highs reaching 106°F, the dry air allows sweat to evaporate quickly, making it easier for the body to cool down.
In contrast, Houston’s average July highs are around 95°F, but its high humidity (averaging 75%) pushes the heat index far beyond the actual temperature—often making it feel like 120°F or more. This significantly increases the risk of heat-related illnesses.
So, why does humidity make it feel so much hotter? The body relies on sweat as its natural cooling system. When you sweat, moisture is released onto the skin, where it absorbs body heat and evaporates, carrying that heat away. This process, called evaporative cooling, works best in dry air, where sweat evaporates quickly. In humid environments, however, the air is already saturated with moisture, which slows down evaporation and traps heat in the body. As a result, the body struggles to cool itself, significantly increasing the risk of heat illness.
Understanding the role of humidity is key to staying safe in hot weather, as it can drastically change how the heat affects your body. Check out my short video below to learn why humidity plays a critical role in heat stress and what it means for workers in hot conditions.
Impact of Humidity on Heat Index
This video, created with content borrowed from our online heat illness prevention courses, quickly outlines the the significant impact humidity levels play in determining the amount of heat stress employees are subjected to while working in warm and humid conditions at work.
