During a heat wave, a supervisor notices an employee showing signs of heat exhaustion. According to Cal/OSHA heat illness prevention requirements, what is the first priority action?
Correct Answer
C) Move employee to a cool area and provide water
Cal/OSHA requires immediate response to heat illness symptoms by moving the affected employee to a cool area and providing water or other cooling measures.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Cal/OSHA's heat illness prevention standard (Title 8, Section 3395) requires immediate response when an employee shows signs of heat illness. The first priority is to move the worker to a cool or shaded area and provide water. This rapid cooling intervention can prevent heat exhaustion from progressing to the more dangerous heat stroke.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: Continue work with increased water breaks
Continuing work β even with more water breaks β is not an appropriate response to an employee already showing signs of heat exhaustion. Once symptoms appear, work must stop and the affected employee must receive immediate attention. Continuing work risks the condition worsening to life-threatening heat stroke.
Option B: Reduce work pace by 50%
Reducing work pace by 50% does not address the immediate medical situation. An employee already experiencing heat exhaustion needs removal from the heat source and cooling measures, not a slower work pace. This response dangerously delays appropriate treatment.
Option D: Send employee home for the day
Sending the employee home alone could be extremely dangerous. A person experiencing heat exhaustion may not be safe to drive and could deteriorate rapidly. Cal/OSHA requires immediate on-site intervention β cool area, water, and monitoring β not simply dismissing the worker.
Memory Technique
Remember the 3 C's for heat illness response: Cool (area), Cool (water/drink), and Call (for help if worsening). The FIRST C is always moving to a COOL area β get them out of the heat immediately.
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