Safety Spotlight: Preventing Hot Weather Health Issues

As an electrical pro, the dog days of summer bring an added hazard to jobs: dialed up heat.

Working in excessive heat not only affects your productivity and ability to think clearly, it also poses significant risks including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Scorching temps, humidity, and blazing sun, or even high temps paired with cloudy days can be dangerous when you’re working outdoors. Just as dangerous? Laboring inside facilities without air conditioning, cooling fans, or adequate ventilation.

To help keep yourself safe from heat’s adverse effects, make it a point to follow these tips — as well as recognize the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness listed at the end of this post.

Stay Hydrated

It’s easy to get dehydrated if you’re working in the heat, sweating, or overexposed to the sun — and not drinking enough water.

A good rule of thumb is to drink about 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes, but no more than 48 ounces in an hour. Sports drinks are also a good alternative for restoring body fluids and electrolytes.

Skip caffeine and sugary drinks, even before you start your workday, as they can contribute to dehydration. And make sure you take scheduled breaks to eat, as food helps replace electrolytes lost from sweating.

Seek Out Shade

While working out of the direct sun might not be an option, try to take breaks in the shade or in air conditioning. Adding a hat brim or flap to your hard hat can also provide a bit of shade for your face.

Use Sunscreen

Applying sunscreen to any exposed skin, including your ears, scalp, lips, neck, and the backs of your hands, is key to preventing sunburn and long-term skin damage.

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, with a minimum SPF of 15. Apply sunscreen about 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapply according to the brand’s directions, usually every 2 hours.

Have a tube of sunscreen that’s past its expiration date? Toss it and buy a new one.

Protect Your Eyes

UV rays can not only damage your skin, but they can also cause eye problems over time.

To protect your eyes, make sure to wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection or are sold with a “UV 400” sticker on them. Choose sunglasses that have brown, green, or gray lenses; yellow lenses provide less protection.

Wearing sunglasses on cloudy or hazy days is just as important as wearing them when the sun’s shining. That’s because some UV rays are present year-round, and they can reflect off all types of surfaces, including concrete and water.

Dress for the Day

Choose clothes made of lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics, lightweight gloves, and consider using a cooling towel under your hard hat. Accessories like cooling vests and neck gaiters with hydrogel inserts can also help beat the heat.

If you need to wear arc-flash PPE, look for PPE with fabrics that allow for air circulation to help prevent overheating and excessive sweating, but that are also lightweight and moisture-wicking. Make sure, though, to choose clothing and gear that’s rated for the level of arc-flash protection you’ll need for the job.

Get to Know the Heat Index

The heat index is a combination of the actual air temperature and the
relative humidity; it measures how hot weather feels to the body (the “real
feel” temp).

As you can see, the heat index doesn’t have to get very high in order for
temperatures to have negative effects on your body.

Don’t Ignore These Warning Signs

Pay attention to how you feel, and watch out for others, for signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.

Symptoms of Dehydration

• Extreme thirst
• Urinating less
• Dark-colored urine
• Fatigue or weakness
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Confusion

What to do: For mild to moderate dehydration, drink more water or sports drinks with electrolytes and carbohydrates.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion

• Heavy sweating
• Rapid pulse
• Cool, moist skin, with goose bumps when in the heat
• Faintness or dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Headache

What to do: Move out of the heat to rest and drink cool water or sports drinks. If your symptoms get worse or don’t improve within an hour, see a doctor.

Symptoms of Heat Stroke

• High body temperature of 104 degrees F or higher
• Confusion, slurred speech, or irritability
• Hot, dry skin
• Nausea or vomiting
• Flushed skin
• Rapid breathing
• Racing heart rate
• Headache

What to do: Heatstroke is a medical emergency. The longer treatment is delayed, the greater the risk of serious complications or death.

If you think someone on your team is experiencing heatstroke, call 911, then move the person into the shade or a cooler location. Remove excess clothing and use whatever is available, like a bucket of cold water or ice packets, to cool the person until emergency responders arrive.