Many Nebraska workers have jobs that require them to work outside. Nebraska has extreme temperature changes, as its residents know. The summer can be a dangerous time to be a construction worker or other employee who spends a lot of time outside because of the extreme heat. Heat related injuries can be very serious and result in construction worker injuries.
Each year, dozens of workers die because they are working in extreme heat. Thousands more suffer from serious illness. Of those who die from heat-related illnesses, around 40 percent are in the construction field. Construction workers know how hot their job can be and how hard it can be to do their job when it is hot out.
Employers have the responsibility to protect their workers from safety hazards which include extreme heat. An employer should have a heat illness prevention program in place that includes providing workers with water, shade and rest, monitoring workers for signs of stress, allowing new or returning workers to acclimate slowly to the extreme temperatures by gradually increasing their workloads and providing more breaks and having a plan for emergencies.
If a construction worker believes they have suffered from a serious heat-related injury they may want to speak with an attorney who specializes in construction worker injuries. An attorney has the experience to know what an employer needs to provide for their employee and can recognize if there was a violation that occurred. They can help the injured employee with their workers' compensation claim and secure the compensation they deserve.
Source: osha.gov, "Water. Rest. Shade.," accessed on July 30, 2017
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