Top Tips to Beat the Heat and Prevent Heat Stress in Construction

We’re having a heat wave! All over the United States, employees who work outside can be at risk of heat stress. Heat stress complications include physical exertion, dehydration, heat cramps, and heat rashes. The most serious heat-related disorders are heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Symptoms can include confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, hot and dry skin, and abnormally high body temperature.
Excessive heat can increase the risk of injuries that can occur from sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, and dizziness. Workers are also at risk of burns that may also occur as a result of contact with hot surfaces or steam.

Construction workers are among the highest of those at risk of heat stress. Others at risk include those who work outside or in hot environments such as firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, factory workers, miners, and boiler room workers, Workers who are 65 years of age or older, are overweight, have heart disease or high blood pressure, or take medications are at an even greater risk of heat stress.
Here are a few top tips to avoid heat stress and keep your team safe during extreme heat:
1. Develop Heat Safety Training - provide training with information on health effects of heat, the symptoms of heat illness, how and when to respond to heat illness symptoms.
2. Create a Heat Safety Plan and Leader - identify someone trained in heat exposure hazards, who can develop, implement and manage your plan. Establish a system to monitor and report heat illness signs to improve early detection.
3. Keep Fluids Readily Available - ensure cool drinking water is easily accessible. Also note that other beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol can lead to dehydration.
4. Take Regular Breaks - provide or ensure shaded or air-conditioned rest areas are available for cooling down.
5. Ensure protective gear is worn – have protective clothing, hats, and sunscreen available to the team. Avoid use of bulky clothing and equipment during peak heat hours.
6. Build Heat Tolerance Through Acclimatization - during rapid climate changes, even experienced workers should work up to long days in the heat. Workers should begin their first day of work in excessive heat with 50 percent of their normal workday spent in the hot environment, 60 percent on the second day, 80 percent on day the third day, and 100 percent on the fourth day.
7.  Follow Modified Work Schedules – schedule more physically demanding work during cooler times of the day. Reschedule non-essential outdoor work for days with reduced heat indexes. Rotating workers, splitting shifts can also help prevent heat exhaustion.
Stay cool out there and stay safe!
For additional safety resources, download our free Safety Ebook with six fast and easy ways to improve your safety training program today. 

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About The Author

Heather Dueitt is the Director of Marketing and Communications for NoteVault. She brings more than 15 years of experience to the team including teaching at New York University and is a regular contributor for Forbes. Prior to moving to San Diego, she worked with top-tier global brands including Samsung and Dove and her campaigns were awarded over a dozen industry accolades. Heather comes from a family of civil engineers, architects and contractors and has grown up around the AEC industry.