Three ways heat can kill

By Brian Ward

Communities across America and the world have been facing deadly heatwaves for several weeks, and with the recent announcement that the world will likely pass the 1.5C global warming threshold —that’s a more than 34 degree warming in Fahrenheit—this trend is likely to continue and intensify. Heat is the deadliest weather hazard in America according to the National Weather Service, causing more deaths each year than floods, cold, tornados, or hurricanes.

The latest heatwaves are also sending patients to hospitals in rising numbers.  It’s important for the safety of your patients and staff to know what the dangers of extreme heat are on the human body, and to be prepared to respond to heat-caused sickness and death.

Remind staff that heat exhaustion or heatstroke can cause organ failure, heart attack, and kidney failure. When a person is overheated, their body sweats more and directs more blood to the skin to lower their body temperature. This decreases blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack. Low blood flow and less oxygen to your gut can make it easier for bacteria and toxins to leak out of the gut and into other organs, causing organ failure. And increased sweat can lead to dehydration and renal failure.  

Keep an eye out on your patients, your staff, and yourself during heatwaves. The worst it can do is kill you.

For information on protecting workers, see OSHA’s Hospital e-tool on heat stress.