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Thomas E. Bernard

Heat Stress Management Plan

Thomas E. Bernard

Introduction to the Sunshine ERC Heat Stress Management Plan

The Heat Stress Management Plan (HSMP) is a template that contains the essential elements for heat stress management. It is based on the author’s understanding of the information contained in the OSHA draft rule for occupational heat stress, the 2016 NIOSH criteria document for exposures to heat and hot environments, and the ACGIH® TLV® for heat stress and strain with associated documentation and user’s guide. It is tempered with over 40 years of research and practice experience. 

The practical template is designed to help small and midsized employers develop a heat stress plan. It may also be useful to consultants who serve these clients. The principles presented in the template and associated materials may help any employer re-examine their heat stress plan. 

The development of the plan and outreach was supported in part by the Sunshine ERC, a NIOSH-supported Education and Research Center. 

The template and associated materials are protected by Creative Commons license CC BY-SA 4.0. Please credit Sunshine ERC Heat Stress Management Plan, Thomas E. Bernard, University of South Florida. 

The template will be rolled out in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Industrial Hygiene Seminar Series on February 10, 2026.

Similar presentations on the Sunshine ERC HSMP will be offered in the following venues:

  • Four-hour workshops are offered. This hands-on workshop is designed to prepare a written heat stress management plan to protect the workforce during exposures to heat stress. The workshop is divided into two 2-h modules. The first module walks attendees through the essentials of a heat stress management plan. The emphasis is on the rationale for the written plan components and the recognition of and first aid for heat-related illness. The second 2-h module extends the planning kit with methods to estimate metabolic rate to better tune the exposure limits described in the first module and to explore more interventions in the context of engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protection, and personal monitoring. 

    The most current workshop materials that include the template, supporting template materials, Excel® workbooks, and PowerPoint® presentation can be download from the following link (Box folder). The Excel workbooks contain macros that must be enabled. The files can be downloaded individually or as one zip file.

    HSMP Workshop Materials

    Currently Scheduled Workshops

  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

    Heat Exposure Protection (HEP) Program and Template