Image Credit: Getty Images / Kar-Tr

In my time at AIHA, few projects have generated as much excitement as our Heat Stress Mobile App. The app fills an important need because its recommendations are based on the web bulb globe temperature (WBGT), a more comprehensive indicator of heat than the commonly used heat index. The app allows users to indicate the intensity of their workload, the kinds of clothing they're wearing, and the degree of sunlight they're experiencing, all major risk factors for heat-related illness. Based on these inputs, the app calculates the user's adjusted WBGT index and delivers recommended measures for mitigating or preventing heat stress.

A beta version of the app was released in June, and thanks to a small army of volunteers, we've identified several needed improvements and are working through some technical issues to make the app as effective as it can be. But to achieve this goal, we need as many eyes on it as we can get; there's no such thing as too many beta testers. So please consider this post your invitation to participate, whether you're an AIHA member, a nonmember OEHS professional, a practitioner of one of the many professions allied with OEHS, or a member of the public interested in protecting yourself, your family, and your community from the effects of heat.

To beta test the app, follow these instructions:

1. Download the app from your app store. It's freely available to both Apple/iOS and Android users:

• Apple/iOS download
• Android download

These links should work no matter where you're located, even if you're not in the continental United States. Please note that if you previously served as a beta tester for the original iOS beta version, you will need to re-download the app store variant to receive ongoing updates.

2. Share the download links widely. Send them to your family and friends, as well as to anyone who works outdoors or supervises outdoor workers. You don't have to limit your invitations to English speakers, either: the app is available in French, Portuguese, and Spanish in addition to English.

3. Put yourself in the typical app user's shoes. The AIHA app is intended for outdoor workers and their supervisors. Now, that doesn't mean you have to be one or the other to participate as a beta tester—even if you aren't, we still value your input! We just ask that you adopt the appropriate mindset as you're thinking about the app experience.

4. Tell us what you think. We prefer to collect feedback through this Google form. We're looking for the following:

• Generic feedback—that is, feedback after you use the app for the first time. We want to know your initial impressions before they're shaped by prolonged use. Submissions of generic feedback are ideal within the first 24 to 72 hours of accessing the product.
• Defect reporting. Defects can be bugs, errors, or any other technical difficulties that make the app experience less enjoyable.
• Enhancement requests. We appreciate all recommendations for enhancing the existing functions.
• Feature requests. If there is a new functionality that you believe will add value to the intended users, please let us know.

The excitement over the app is easy to understand. OEHS is often out of the spotlight, but heat is a different kind of hazard: its effects are visual, visceral, and universal. Everyone needs protection, and while the heat stress app is intended for workers, its ultimate goal is educational. Entire communities can benefit from an increased awareness of heat-related illnesses.

For more information about AIHA's Heat Stress Mobile App, read about it in The Synergist or visit our webpage on heat stress safety.