Beat the Heat: Companies for Farmers to Source Heat Stress Prevention Supplies

“Beat the Heat” Plant and Pest Advisory articles are provided by the Agricultural Agents on the Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team: Kate Brown, Stephen Komar, Michelle Infante-Casella and William Bamka

Protecting yourself and other workers from heat stress may involve purchasing some supplies for your farm operation. Some suggestions for items that may be used to “Beat the Heat” include water coolers, shade structures, fans for air movement in packing facilities, head coverings, sunscreen, and other things to help make a person cooler and more comfortable when working during high temperatures and/or in intense sunlight. Also, some companies listed also offer weather measuring devices to monitor environmental conditions for considering heat stress management decisions.

Below are some companies who offer supplies that may be useful for agricultural operations.  

Grainger https://www.grainger.com/ Active NJ Farm Bureau members receive discounts on most products from Grainger. NJFB members also receive free standard parcel shipping on all standard Grainger products. You can visit any of 12 Grainger stores within NJ, or order online. Grainer offers many safety products for agricultural operations and other industries.

Gempler’s https://gemplers.com/
Gempler’s has an online tab on their website specifically for Heat Relief and Hydration supplies at https://gemplers.com/collections/heat-relief-hydration

Uline https://www.uline.com/
Uline offers personal protective equipment, water coolers, fans and other safety supplies.

Forestry Suppliers https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/
Forestry Suppliers sells personal protective equipment, wet bulb globe temperature meters and other supplies.

Tractor Supply https://www.tractorsupply.com/
Tractor Supply sells water coolers, hats, fans, and other supplies.

Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/
Home Depot sells a variety of supplies like coolers, fans, and other supplies.

Lowes https://www.lowes.com/
Lowes sells a variety of supplies like coolers, fans, and other supplies.

Businesses listed and products from these companies are not endorsed by Rutgers Cooperative Extension or Rutgers University.

Beat the Heat: NWS Forecast Tools – Expanded

6-10 day temperature outlook from the National Weather ServiceThe 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

Beat the Heat: Checklist to Identify Heat Hazards

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.

OSHA Safe + Sound Header for Heat Illness Prevention

Beat the Heat: Heat Illness Prevention Plans

Water. Rest. Shade. flyer from OSHAThe 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.

 

Beat the Heat: Training Resource

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.

Front page of OSHA employee training guide on heat illness prevention

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

Beat the Heat: Heat Stress Management and OSHA Awareness

A Certified Safety and Health Official (CSHO) from OSHA inspected a farm during the third week of June in Southern NJ for heat related items. With this recent inspection activity and the current legislative landscape pertaining to heat stress, the Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group has increased outreach and education on this topic. Resources on heat stress prevention from Rutgers are available in many formats for farmers.

Please take some time to review the NJAES Heat Stress and Agriculture website which features resources and tools from NJAES, OSHA, and the National Weather Service on heat stress mitigation. The Rutgers Working Group will continue to add new resources as they become available. These tools may aid farmers in their proactive efforts to manage heat stress.

As you review these resources, please realize strengthening your heat stress management practices may also help in preparedness for activities conducted during an OSHA heat-related inspection:

Workers weed a potato field using hand tools.

USDA Photo by Kirsten Strough.

  • Review OSHA 300 Logs for any entries indicating heat-related illness(es),
  • Review injury and illness reports and obtain any records of emergency room visits and/or ambulance transport, even if hospitalizations did not occur,
  • Interview workers for reports of headache, dizziness, fainting, dehydration, or other symptoms that may indicate heat-related illnesses,
  • Review employer’s plan to address heat exposure, including acclimatization procedures (especially for new and returning workers), work-rest schedules, access to shade and water (with electrolytes/sports drinks when needed), and any training records associated with a heat illness prevention program,
  • Document, where possible, the heat index on the OSHA-NIOSH Heat App, using the screen save feature on a mobile phone or tablet, or keep other forms of these records,
  • Identify conditions and activities relevant to heat-related hazards. These can include, but are not limited to:
    • Potential sources of heat-related illnesses (e.g., working in direct sunlight, in a hot vehicle, or areas with hot air, near an engine, furnace, boiler or steam lines),
    • Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) calculations and/or other temperature measurements,
    • Heat advisories, warnings or alerts,
    • The use of heavy or bulky clothing or equipment,
    • The types of activities performed by the employees and whether those activities can be categorized as moderate, heavy or very heavy work,
    • The length of time in which a worker is continuously or repeatedly performing moderate to strenuous activities,
    • Heat-related illnesses among new workers,
    • The presence of any recent vacation time or breaks in employment prior to complaints of heat-related symptoms, and
    • The availability of rest breaks, water and shade on site.

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