An Evaluation of Health and Safety Personnel and Workers' Occupational Heat Stress Knowledge in Ontario: Paper B.

Abstract

Introduction: With the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events rising, occupational health and safety (OHS) personnel must be well-informed about heat management solutions. Consequently, assessing the knowledge level and technical expertise of OHS personnel is essential for equipping workplaces to operate safely in hotter conditions.

Methods: The Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit-Occupational Heat Stress Knowledge Assessment Test (HEPRU-OHSKAT) was distributed among OHS personnel and the general working population (GWP) (> 18 years) throughout Ontario, Canada, to assess their current knowledge regarding managing occupational heat stress. The instrument included 31 items grouped into four core competency areas including: (A) General Heat Stress Knowledge (items (q): 8, max score (ms): 13), (B) Knowing the Signs and Symptoms of Heat Stress and First Aid (q: 7, ms: 32), (C) Exposure Limits and Heat Monitoring Practices (q: 13, ms: 40), and (D) Workplace Controls for Heat (q: 3, ms: 15). The number of respondents and the percentage of the total sample were calculated based on individual response rates to each question.

Results: A total of 317 respondents (female: 110, median age: 42 years, range: 18-74) from 17 industries (OHS: 68% vs. GWP: 32%) completed the HEPRU-OHSKAT. The average total knowledge score for all respondents was 54 ± 22% (56 ± 22% vs. 48 ± 21%), with no respondents exceeding 90% overall and scores on individual knowledge categories varying substantially.

Conclusions: The HEPRU-OHSKAT identified knowledge gaps among OHS personnel in Ontario's workplaces, particularly for knowledge of control measures for reducing or preventing exposure to heat stress.

Practical applications: Training and education are necessary across all HEPRU-OHSKAT knowledge categories to enhance heat stress management and minimize the OHS hazards associated with working in the heat.