How to Prepare for Working in Hot Environments
Table of Contents
How to work safely in hot conditions
Heat exhaustion symptoms
How to protect lone workers during a heat wave
When should you seek medical attention for sunburn?
How is a sunburn recognized?
What are the appropriate treatment for heat exhaustion and heat stress?
Working in the heat can cause various health conditions, putting your people at risk, especially during the summer months. Requiring workers to perform their jobs in hot conditions also requires the employer to do everything possible to protect employees, helping them work in high temperatures safely.
How to work safely in hot conditions
Employers can take several steps to protect lone workers and those working outdoors who are particularly vulnerable. These steps include:
Reduce heat exposure and increase recovery period in a relaxed environment
Increase the workforce assigned to each task
Educate supervisors and workers on the side effects of temperature disease, first aid, and health conditions
Implement a buddy system in which employees watch each other for indications of heat intolerance
Keep plenty of excellent freshwater resources close to the work area and motivate staff to drink frequently
Use a thermal alert curriculum (additional written guidelines) when the weather service predicts a heatwave
Create a strategy for acclimating employees to hot working conditions and increasing physical fitness
Monitor employees' exposure to the sun to prevent overheating and further injuries.
Heat exhaustion symptoms
Heat cramps are the body's reaction to water loss and salt, most commonly through sweating. Heat stress and heat exhaustion are also common with symptoms that can include:
Excessive sweating
Weakness or fatigue
Dizziness and confusion
Clammy skin
Muscle cramps
Flushed complexion
How to protect lone workers during a heat wave
Lone workers are vulnerable employees who work in isolation without the help of coworkers readily available should they need it.
Recognize and respect the physical limitations of these people. Many of us are more susceptible than the healthy athlete who frequently trains in the heat if you are not in great physical shape and are not conditioned for exercise in hot weather. Maintain a low-key and brief activity, take a break, and drink lots of fluids. It's critical to stay hydrated while working out, which is especially important in hot weather. Drink a lot of water before your workout to ensure that you begin solid and hydrated. Then continue drinking.
When it's hot and humid, use extra caution. Because sweat cannot evaporate appropriately in damp conditions, moisture can operate against your body's skin-cooling abilities. Provide PPE such as hats or face shields, dark, protective glasses, and sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to protect your people from the sun’s harmful rays.
Coordinate tasks and projects according to peak temperature in the day (about 3 pm), assigning exposed, outdoor work earlier in the mornings when it’s cooler. For lone workers performing their jobs outside throughout the day – and the heat – employers must provide hydration and shaded environments but must also encourage and even enforce regular breaks to help the employees avoid heat illness at work. (When working hard, it can be easy to forget about taking breaks.)
When should you seek medical attention for sunburn?
Call a doctor if you have severe sunburn. The physician can then decide whether to treat the patient at home or in the office or recommend them to an emergency room. If a person gets sunburn and develops any of the following conditions, they should go to the emergency department of a hospital:
Severe pain
Severe blistering
Headache
Confusion
Nausea or vomiting
Fainting or dizziness
An acute sunburn related to another medical condition
How is a sunburn recognized?
The doctor will take medical records and conduct a physical to determine if and how severe the sunburn is. In more severe cases, or for people who already have medical issues, the doctor may order research lab tests to help determine the extent of the injury.
What are the appropriate treatment for heat exhaustion and heat stress?
Lay the person down and slightly raise the legs and feet. Remove any clothing that is too tight or too heavy. Allow the individual to sip cool water, a caffeine-free sports drink containing electrolytes, or another caffeine-free non-alcoholic beverage. Cool the person down by sprinkling or sponging cool water and fanning them.
Heat exhaustion is one of three types of heat stress, including heat cramps and heat stroke. Heat stress and its sub-illnesses can be very dangerous when not treated immediately. Employees must provide regular shaded breaks with fresh water if heat illness is a serious safety hazard.
When starting to work in the heat, take your time and don't overdo it. Drink more than enough water or sports drinks, but avoid alcohol and caffeine. Dress appropriately—light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, preferably with a wide-brimmed hat. Alternatively, you can go out early in the day while the weather is still bearable and let yourself heat up with it.
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