Baseball and softball officials sometimes accept multiple game assignments or assigner schedule these tournament games over a long weekend. Heat stress plays a critical toll depending on environmental conditions throughout the day. The outcome can affect physical and mental performance of every pitch or thrown ball. The model provides a risk assessment during the summer months, when heat stress is critical. By calculating the total point value using an Excel spreadsheet, the information can determine if additional staff is needed to properly officiate these games and/or whether an official should accept multiple game assignments during adverse weather conditions. The use of this tool will provide insight before scheduling or accepting game assignments. It will also insist that everyone has a good understanding of heat stress outcomes and defining a proper work-rest regimen for adequate recovery.

1. Heat Stress Risk Assessment Model
for Baseball and Softball Assignors
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Presented by:
Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA
The Windsor Consulting Group, Inc.

2. Umpires and Heat-related Illness
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3. Heat-related Risk for Game Assigners
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 Officials assigned multiple game
assignments during the summer months
(tournaments on holiday weekends)
 Assigners fail evaluate weather when
assigning plate and field assignments
 Officials are under significant duress
working in hot and humid conditions
 Model evaluates heat stress index
before scheduling umpires
 Model designed to prevent heat illness

4. Heat-related Risk for Officials
4
 Model determines the total number of
game assignments during the summer
months
 Applies to only healthy officials without
a medical or psychological condition
exacerbated by heat stress
 Consider other confounding factors like
individual age, travel distance, gender,
nutrition, physical and mental condition
 Officials must understand heat stress
signs and symptoms of exposure

5. Heat-related Risk for Officials
5
 Model constructed for assigners to use
when scheduling officials
 Excel spreadsheet based on hypothesis
and heat-related illness charts
 Use only for multiple game assignments
on one or more consecutive days
 Establish a work-rest regimen with time
or days off before reassigning more
games
 Schedule games early and late during
the day during peak summer season

6. Heat Stress for Plate Umpires
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7. Heat Stress for Field Umpires
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8. Color Code and Risk Analysis
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Very low
0- 5
Low risk
5- 10
Moderate
10- 15
High risk
15- 20
Very high
20- 25

9. Example of Heat Stress for Plate Umpires
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1-game 2-games 3-games

10. Example of Excel Spreadsheet Calculation
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Games =
6 value
0 Sum 0
Games =
5 value
0 Sum 0
Games =
4 value
3 Sum 12
Games =
3 value
2 Sum 6
Games =
2 value
0 Sum 0
Games =
1 value
1 Sum 1
Total 19
Color codes:
Risk analysis
Very low 0- 5
Scheduling Calculation
Low risk 5- 10
Moderate 10- 15
High risk 15- 20
Very high 20- 25

11. Recommended Work-Rest Schedule
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One Day Assignment
 Risk 0-5 – No time off
 Risk 5-10 – 12-hour rest
 Risk 10-15 – 1 day rest
 Risk 15-20 – 1 day rest
 Risk 20-25 - 2 days rest
Two Day Assignment
 Risk 0-5 – No time off
 Risk 5-10 – 12-hour rest
 Risk 10-15 – 1 day rest
 Risk 15-20 – 2 day rest
 Risk 20-25 - 3 days rest
Three Day Assignment
 Risk 0-5 – 12-hour rest
 Risk 5-10 – 1 day rest
 Risk 10-15 – 2 day rest
 Risk 15-20 – 3 day rest
 Risk 20-25 - 4 days rest

12. Model Use for All Outdoor Sports
 Email: windsgroup@aol.com for copy of the Excel spreadsheet
 Model can be used for assignors of other sports like lacrosse,
soccer, football, rugby, etc. played during the summer months
 Use for seasonal variations and climates across the USA
 Use heat stress monitors to evaluate environmental conditions
 Use weather forecasting websites to get air temperature and
relative humidity information hourly
 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/heat-index-heat-category/id370913314?mt=8
 http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/heat/index.shtml
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13. Risk Prevention of Heat-related Illness
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Questions
Thank you for your participation in the course. We hope that baseball and softball
assigners planning for tournaments and officials accepting multiple game assignments
understand the hazard, risk, and methods to help prevent heat-related illness during the
summer months. Please have a safe and enjoyable baseball and/or softball season this
year and keep yourself and crew safe. This information used correctly could save an
official’s life or prevent serious heat-related illness from occurring.