Published 21 Mar 2025
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3 min read
What is an Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan?
An extreme heat preparedness plan is a comprehensive strategic document designed to help prepare your employees for high temperatures, heatwaves, or even the summer heat. This plan outlines the necessary safety protocols, corrective actions, and preventive measures to take during instances of extreme heat.
Importance
An extreme heat preparedness plan is necessary for employers and employees to know what to do before, during, and after once the heat temperature rises in the workplace. With a dedicated plan, your workplace can prevent heat-related illnesses like dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
It can also make workplace safety a lot easier by streamlining heat-related precautions during extremely hot weather, especially in summer. It can be as simple as reminding your team to keep the hydration stations stocked or to ensure that cooling breaks are actually happening. This approach can help everyone stay safe and productive in the workplace even when temperatures are soaring.
A dedicated plan for extreme heat temperatures can also help your employees familiarize themselves with how their body works. Plus, it also makes sure that everyone knows what protocols to do when someone is under heat stress.
Benefits
When you’re deep into work, you might not notice signs of heat stress, exhaustion, or dehydration until it’s too late. An extreme heat preparedness plan or a heatwave preparedness plan will help you be aware and safe while working in these extreme temperatures.
A heat preparedness plan helps you:
Safeguard Employee Health and Safety – Prevent heat-related illnesses and keep your workers safe.
Maintain Employee Productivity, Performance, and Morale – Keep your teams focused, efficient, and comfortable.
Prevent Equipment from Overheating – Avoid malfunctions and costly downtime.
Ensure Compliance with Safety Regulations – Meet US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, World Health Organization (WHO) standards, and reduce legal risks.
Improve Workplace Emergency Preparedness – Have an action plan in place for extreme heat events.
What to Include in an Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan
An extreme heat preparedness plan strikes a balance between a basic checklist and a full-scale heat action strategy, offering a practical yet well-planned approach. A heat preparedness plan usually includes:
What to do before, during, and after extreme heat
How to read and understand the heat index
How to prevent heat illnesses and identifying the symptoms
Clear protocols on what to do when heat illnesses occur in the workplace
Guidelines on how to maintain equipment during extreme heat
Strategies for staying properly hydrated and ensuring access to cool environments
Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan Example Sample Report
Here is what an extreme heat preparedness plan checklist should look like for reference:
Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan Sample Report | SafetyCulture
