Summer Safety Tips
Keeping a crew safe on a jobsite presents unique challenges when the mercury creeps above 90 degrees. Heat stress is increasingly being recognized for contributing to the rapid onset of fatigue, distraction, inattention to details and other deficiencies.
Rule No. 1 is to maintain proper hydration. This sounds logical, but there are practical challenges. Here are some bedrock tips to share at your summer safety meeting.
- Hydrate: Water is arguably the best hydrating beverage, but it’s tasteless and boring. Enter the electrolytic beverages: Gatorade, Squincher, etc. Even a slice of lemon will add some taste to a cooler. These additives make plain old water more drinkable, and they also supply electrolytes to the body. The body loves it. In the old days, salt tablets were distributed, although this practice has been proven outdated. We typically eat enough junk food to replace salt lost through perspiration.
- Avoid designer beverages (Red Bull etc.): They offer minimal hydration. And avoid carbonated sodas and sugary concoctions. Iced tea is on the borderline, and anything with caffeine is a diuretic and should be avoided. Lemonade, and most citrus beverages are fine, but it’s a good idea to cut them with 50% water. Try also to cut down on cigarettes. In high heat they make it harder to respirate oxygen to where it needs to go.
- Select your lunch carefully: Junk food is high in fat and preservative, and it’s going to put a high caloric load on your digestive system. In high heat, that will stress the body. Try eating a bigger breakfast, so you’re not ravenous at lunch, and light lunches, such as fruit and vegetable salads (skip the fries).
- Pay attention to Circadian Rhythms: The body’s internal clock that governs our sleep-wake cycle programs most humans for the day shift. But a blip on the chart called the “Post Lunch Dip” puts most humans in the mood to nap after lunch. Siesta cultures acknowledge the drop in productivity and safety every day, when the whole country basically shuts down for a nap during the hottest hours. Eating a light lunch can help minimize the afternoon slump.
- Schedule for cooler work: In extreme heat (ninety degrees and above), consider rescheduling to work in cooler parts of the day. Can this job be done at night, or can you modify a shift for earlier morning starts? Supervisors should watch more closely for indicators of fatigue and call for breaks more frequently.