As summer temperatures rise, so do the risks for workers in warehouses, distribution centers, fulfillment operations, and other non-climate-controlled environments. Heat-related illnesses don’t just hurt productivity—they endanger lives and expose companies to serious liability. If you’re an operations manager in supply chain, logistics, or e-commerce, now is the time to put a proactive heat safety plan into action.
Here are 10 practical tips to keep your team safe, alert, and productive when the mercury climbs.
1. Build a Heat-Safety Plan Before Summer Starts
Don’t wait until the first heatwave. Create a formal Heat Illness Prevention Plan based on OSHA’s guidance. Include protocols for acclimatization, hydration, rest breaks, and emergency response procedures. Review the plan with supervisors and make it part of your summer kickoff.
2. Rotate Shifts to Avoid the Hottest Hours
Consider adjusting schedules to start earlier in the morning or later in the evening. Heat exposure peaks between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and staggered shifts can reduce prolonged exposure in loading docks, outdoor staging areas, or unventilated facilities.
3. Hydration is Essential—Make It Easy and Obvious
Provide cool, clean water in multiple accessible locations throughout the facility. Encourage workers to drink every 15–20 minutes. Post hydration reminder signs and offer reusable water bottles. Remember: by the time someone feels thirsty, they’re already dehydrated.
4. Use Ventilation and Air Movement to Your Advantage
In buildings without A/C, maximize airflow with large industrial fans, open doors strategically (if safe to do so), and remove barriers that block ventilation. Create “cool zones” where employees can take short breaks to cool off during intense heat.
5. Train Supervisors to Recognize Heat-Related Symptoms
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke have clear warning signs—dizziness, nausea, confusion, muscle cramps, and rapid heartbeat. Make sure frontline leaders know how to identify these signs early and act quickly to move the worker to a shaded area, provide fluids, and seek medical attention if needed.
6. Adjust PPE and Dress Codes for Summer Conditions
While safety gear is non-negotiable, explore breathable, moisture-wicking options where appropriate. For example, lightweight reflective vests or ventilated hard hats can help reduce body heat. If your team wears gloves, opt for those that offer both grip and airflow.
7. Encourage Peer Monitoring and a “Speak Up” Culture
Empower workers to watch out for each other. Fatigue and heat illness can sneak up on people, so train your team to speak up if they notice a coworker looking overheated or confused. A simple check-in can prevent a serious medical emergency.
8. Breaks Are Not Optional—They’re a Safety Requirement
OSHA recommends scheduled breaks in shaded or cool areas during hot shifts. Encourage supervisors to enforce these rest periods and avoid penalizing workers for taking short breaks in extreme heat. Productivity will suffer far more if someone collapses on the floor.
9. Acclimate New or Returning Workers Gradually
New hires or returning seasonal workers need time to adapt to heat. Gradually increase their workload over the first week to prevent heat shock. Acclimatization is one of the most overlooked but critical aspects of heat safety.
10. Document Everything—And Stay Compliant
Keep records of training, hydration policies, incident response logs, and daily heat index tracking. OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a safe workplace, and documentation shows due diligence. Noncompliance can result in costly citations—or worse, injuries.
About iJility
At iJility, we help operations teams build safer, more efficient workplaces by designing workforce solutions that match your real-world demands. Whether you’re running peak-season fulfillment in a hot warehouse or managing high-volume distribution during the summer, we work alongside your team to implement scalable, safety-first labor strategies. Let us help you improve productivity and protect your people.
Schedule a discovery call with iJility today. Let’s build a safer summer, together.
