Rising temperatures and the risk of heat injury in the military
The UK summer this year has been dangerously hot, with the UK Health Security Agency warning people to avoid the warmest part of the day. But for many, including those working in the Armed Forces, construction, emergency services and agriculture, the advice to stay cool and indoors is easier said than done.
It is something I have been thinking about a lot recently because my husband works on a construction site. Whatever the weather, he has to turn up in full PPE and get on with a physically demanding job. I understand that PPE is essential to protect people from workplace hazards, but during a heatwave I can’t help but wonder whether enough consideration has been given to the additional risk that PPE, combined with physically demanding work and extreme temperatures, can pose.
Heat illness and heat stroke are serious medical conditions, yet it doesn’t appear they are always given the same consideration as other workplace safety risks.
This will be the same for members of our Armed Forces. Service personnel often face physically demanding training and exercises. They are expected to train and undertake fitness tests wearing heavy combat clothing, carrying substantial weight and pushing themselves physically over a prolonged period. During a heatwave, those conditions can quickly become dangerous if the risks aren’t recognised and managed appropriately.
What responsibilities does the MOD have during hot weather?
The MOD recognises that heat illness is a significant hazard, particularly during annual fitness tests and physically demanding training exercises carried out in hot conditions. It has a duty to ensure that these activities are planned and managed safely.
Over the years, the MOD has introduced policies aimed at reducing the risk of heat illness during training and exercises. These policies include that:
- The risk of heat illness must be considered in the risk assessment for all activities. The risk assessment must consider how any heat casualties will be evacuated, and where they will be evacuated to.
- Guidance that indicates the safe durations of continuous work or intervals of work and rest in varying clothing and equipment in different temperatures.
- Activities should be dynamically risk assessed. If heat illness symptoms are observed, the activity must be paused and further mitigations applied, and commanders must act quickly if heat illness is suspected.
- Commanders must ensure all under their command have a basic understanding of heat illness.
When those policies are not followed, the consequences can be serious.
What is heat illness?
Heat illness occurs when the body’s core temperature elevates and the body’s regulating mechanisms fail to cool the body down. Usually, the condition arises in hot or humid conditions, particularly when service personnel undertake tough physical exercise outdoors. One of the dangers with heat illness is that service personnel may not recognise the signs of heat illness or will try to push through.
While I am talking about heat illness in the context of heatwaves, it is a common misconception that heat illness only happens in hot climates or significantly hot weather. Heat illness has affected service personnel in the UK in temperatures in the mid-20s, who were exercising without sufficient drinking water, without sufficient rest periods or when wearing inappropriate clothing.
Heat illness can quickly progress to heatstroke, and can, at its most serious, lead to coma, organ failure and possibly even death.
However, treatment can be relatively straightforward. The person at risk should stop exercise, find shade, and be cooled down.
What are the signs and symptoms of heat illness?
Some of the signs to look out for include:
- Tiredness and weakness
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- A severe headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Hypotension (decreased blood pressure)
- Profuse sweating
- Intense thirst
- Muscle cramps
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Tachycardia (fast pulse)
- Anuria (urinating less often and having much darker urine than normal).
When should you seek medical help?
If you begin experiencing symptoms of heat illness during training or exercise, don’t ignore them and don’t assume they’ll simply pass. Report your symptoms straight away. Treatment involves removing the cause of the overheating and rapid cooling. Early intervention can often prevent heat exhaustion from progressing into heatstroke.
Can a heat illness affect your military career?
Unfortunately, yes. While many may recover fully, where heat illness progresses to heatstroke this means that irreversible organ damage is occurring and can result in long-term health problems including fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, increased sensitivity to heat, memory and concentration difficulties and ongoing neurological symptoms.
For serving personnel, this can have a significant impact on their military career. Depending on the severity of the injury, it will likely lead to medical downgrading and potential medical discharge.
When might you have a military heat injury claim?
Awareness around heat illness has generally improved over the years with the MOD introducing updated policies regarding heat illness, however those policies are not always followed correctly. If you have developed heat illness where you believe appropriate safety procedures were not followed or medical attention was delayed, you may have a negligence claim.
In most cases, you have three years from the date of your injury, or from the date you first became aware that your injury may have been caused by negligence, to bring a personal injury claim. If you believe you have a claim, then we recommend you seek legal advice as soon as possible.
At Bolt Burdon Kemp, we have experience of acting for individuals who have suffered heat illness as a result of their service. We provide a free consultation service to assess and advise on whether a legal claim can be pursued. If you would like to speak to a member of our Military Claims team, please contact us here.
