58-Year-Old Arizona HVAC Tech Dies From Extreme Heat Exposure

DEWEY, Arizona — HVAC technician, Matt Nelson, 58, died from extreme heat exposure on July 1 while on a service call in an attic that reached 150° F, according to Fox 10 Pheonix News.

Nelson became unresponsive, and despite CPR from his partner and medics, he was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the family's Go Fund Me page.

Nelson, an Army veteran, spent decades as an HVAC technician and started his own company within the last year, according to the article. Nelson's family is sharing his story to raise awareness about the dangers of working in extreme heat. 

HVAC technicians often work in extreme conditions, especially during the summer months when demand for cooling services peaks. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures, confined attic spaces, and rooftops can quickly lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke — both of which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, and heavy sweating, while symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speach, loss of consciousness, hot/dry skin or profuse sweating, and high body temperature, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In both cases, the worker should be moved to a shaded or cool area and cooled as quickly as possible by wetting the skin and using cold, wet cloths or ice on the head, neck, armpits, and groin. 

Heat-related illness is preventable. OSHA encourages water, rest, and shade as prevention as well as treatment for heat-related illness.

You can learn more about these and other heat-related illnesses by visiting www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/illness-first-aid.