6. Remember: The law expects us to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety of our workers.
Editor's Notes
In all of these professions, workers have died from heat stress.In 2001, a baker died from heat stress in Ontario, CanadaIn 2004, this bakery was fined $215,000 for failing to implement a heat stress programSeveral football players, both school and professionals have died of heat stress over the past few years. Cory Stringer’s widow attempted to sue the NFL. Maryland firefigher dies from heat stress during training. The parents sue the department for $1,000,000 for negligence.Firefighter, football player, baker etc. have all lost workers due to heat stress..
Recruit firefighter Andrew Waybright collapsed during a training exercise in extreme heatCivilians stopped to help - offered to call 911Were “shooed” away by Academy personnel and told recruit was “played out”Pronounced dead at hospital - temperature was 107.4°FWaybright’s parents suing for $1 millionTraining Officer alleged to be “an untrained leader, for failing to provide hydration, failure to carry basic first aid, and failure to inform recruits of the exercise session”.Failed to meet duty “to provide training exercises in a reasonable and safe manner such that they did not endanger the health of the recruits”. This case might become a piece of case law that will later define what is expected of supervisors regarding the prevention of heat stress.
