Safety Tidbit 5.13 – Get Ready
for Heat
This
Safety Tidbit was written by my student, Mr. Ryan Binkley – a senior in the
Safety Sciences Program at Indiana University of PA graduating Summer 2020.
With
summer approaching, the weather changes and the temperature heats up bringing
with it major concerns to the workplace. As SHE professionals, we know the
signs and warn our workers of the signs of heat stress and fatigue in the
workplace. If we, as SHE professionals, see the symptoms early, we can help
prevent heat stress injuries in the workplace.
Starting
off, a good plan is to get to know your workers well before any heat emergency
happens. Learn how they generally act or work on a daily basis so you can see
subtle changes when something is not quite right. Walking around and talking to
employees is a good way to tell if a worker is fatigued or if heat is affecting
them. Some signs of heat stress are confusion, dizziness, fainting, headaches,
and cramps. If anyone experiences any of these symptoms, they should
immediately find shade and drink fluids with electrolytes such as Gatorade,
Powerade.
A
good way to prevent heat illnesses from occurring is to set up hydration
stations around the job site. Have coolers with water bottles readily available
along with Gatorade powder they can put in the water if wanted. Alternatively,
some companies bring in cooling fans or set up some kind of pavilion/ tent for
their employees to sit under during their breaks to cool off. One last thing,
although not typical, but that I personally have seen on a construction site is
a urine color meter. While employees are using the restroom, they can compare
the color of their urine to a table to see if they are dehydrated or not. The
final way to reduce heat stress injuries is to enforce breaks for the
employees. A lot of employees don’t take their breaks other than lunch, so
encourage your employees to take their breaks to allow their bodies to cool down.
Overall,
heat stress injuries have the potential to be deadly if not taken care of early.
It’s not a guarantee that these suggestions will prevent any injuries, but they
will help.
I hope this was helpful and thank you
for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~
Bryan
P.S. If you have a new safety or
health question, please let me know.
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