The National Weather Service compiled a list of resources on “Weather Information for Agriculture”. Direct links to long range outlooks (6-10 day and 8-14 day periods) for temperature are one inclusion which may be relevant for on-farm planning related to heat stress prevention.

Farmers may utilize other tools referenced in this resource to:

• Evaluate recent precipitation and conduct monthly or seasonal reviews of precipitation
• Monitor current drought conditions
• View 1-7 day forecasts for severe weather, excessive rain, air quality, and other weather-related hazards
• Explore long-range outlooks (up to 3 months out) for temperature, precipitation, and drought

Article By: The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, Stephen Komar and William Bamka

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created an Employer Checklist for Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Injury and Illness Prevention which may be utilized to identify sources of heat hazards in the workplace and respond effectively. Section 1 of the checklist is designed to help employers recognize job-related heat risks while Section 2 explores preparedness for heat-related injuries and illnesses. Additional OSHA resources on heat-illness prevention are included on the last page of the checklist.

The University of Houston Clear Lake, using grant funds from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), created a model Heat-Illness Prevention Plan. While heat illness prevention plans are not required for New Jersey employers, review of this model plan may broaden an employer’s knowledge of heat illness prevention strategies. This model plan has five major sections which include employee training, monitoring weather conditions, heat hazard assessment, heat illness prevention strategies, and emergency response. Similar models are available online from states like California and Oregon which have adopted their own heat illness prevention rules.

Employee training on working in the heat may reduce risk of heat illness by raising awareness of heat safety. OSHA has developed “A Guide for Employers to Carry Out Heat Safety Training for Workers” which provides step-by-step instructions on how to engage employees in participatory heat safety training on three topics: 1) health effects of heat, 2) how to respond to symptoms, and 3) preventing heat illness. The training can be delivered in one, 45-minute session or three, 15-minute sessions.

Article By: The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, Stephen Komar and William Bamka