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Thomas E. Bernard

Heat Stress Management Plan

Thomas E. Bernard

Introduction to the USF 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 ACGIH® TLV® for heat stress and strain with associated documentation and user’s guide, the 2016 NIOSH criteria document for exposures to heat and hot environments, and the OSHA draft rule for occupational heat stress. It is tempered with over 40 years of research and practice experience. In the expansions below are 

  • Template and associated downloads

  • Resources

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 was announced in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Industrial Hygiene Seminar Series on February 10, 2026.

The USF HSMP was also introduced in the following venues:

The content and training was developed through a series of 4-h workshops sponsored by the following NIOSH-supported centers

  • Sunshine Education and Research Center (USF, UCF, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)

  • Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety (UAB, Auburn)

  • Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (University of Utah, Weber State University)

  • Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center (University of Kentucky)

  • The template and associated materials were designed to prepare a written heat stress management plan to protect the workforce during exposures to heat stress. 

    Following the workshop PowerPoint® slide deck, the package of materials are divided into two modules. The first module walks 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 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 materials that include the basic 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. If you have trouble downloading, please contact me at tbernar2@usf.edu. 

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

    HSMP Workshop Materials

  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

    Heat Exposure Protection (HEP) Program and Template