One of the ways your body regulates its temperature is by sweating. The massive puddles of sweat you leave behind when working all day in the sweltering heat are basically signs that your body’s internal HVAC system is working fine. However, because you’re sweating out these massive amounts of liquid, your body needs to replace it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to keep cooling down and it becomes increasingly likely that you will succumb to heat illness.
Electrolytes leave your body with your sweat. Since they’re responsible for keeping you functioning optimally, it’s pretty important to replenish them if you want to keep your internal HVAC doing its job.
Drinking lots of water and sports energy drinks can be a great way to hydrate yourself and cool down your inner body temperature. Sports energy drinks can help return needed electrolytes to your body to keep you going through the hot weather.
While sunscreen can provide immediate protection from UV rays, its effects hold even better long-term value. Avoiding skin damage from the sun can also protect you from skin cancer later in life. Besides, it’s definitely not fun to work while your skin is a blistering, painful mess.
Keeping cool as a construction worker can be difficult when you’re under a deadline and trying to get a job done. However, with some careful steps, you can manage to keep cool—even under the summer sun.
The most obvious step can be to work when the sun is not at its strongest. Avoid intense labor during the peak hours of 12 to 3 PM (a good time to schedule lunch!). When possible, consider working through the night to remove the sun from the equation.
Wear light, loose, and breathable clothing so that you’re not contributing to the heat any more than you need to. You know how hot black asphalt can get thanks to the sun’s rays, so don’t turn your black shirt into a grill.
Keep ice water buckets filled with rags available for workers to use to cool down intermittently. Water on skin acts similarly to sweat. When it evaporates, it takes some of your body heat with it. A cold rag serves as a preventative measure, but can also be used to quickly cool people down if they are suffering from heat stroke. Whoever thought the ice bucket challenge could be practical?
Remain mindful of how your body feels. If you feel sick, respond appropriately. Don’t be too proud to take a break or sit down. No one is going to call you tough when you’re passed out or throwing up at 2 PM on a Tuesday.
When you work in the summer heat, sometimes the effects of it can hit you when you least expect it. If one of your coworkers looks like they are going to be sick or fall over, do your best to make sure they do so safely and get the immediate help they need. If someone has fainted, call your supervisor or an emergency call number.
On top of sunscreen, light clothing, a hat, and sunglasses, you should also be sure to use protective gear for the construction site itself. If you are going to work at an elevated height, use a harness. You can’t control when you faint, so it is good to know that if you fall, you won’t plummet 10m. Heights are scary enough without throwing heat illness into the mix!
Keep worksites clean and safe so that you or a coworker will be able to land safely if you faint. An exposed saw blade doesn’t make a comfy pillow.
Signs of Heat Illness for Construction Workers
The two types of heat illness are heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
The summer months are a busy and lucrative time for construction workers. However, those same beautiful, sunny days can quickly turn dangerous if the proper measures aren’t taken to avoid heat illness. So, follow these tips, stay safe, and have a great summer!
Article source: https://www.smartservice.com/smart-service-blog/construction-heat-safety-tips
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