Tips to Prepare for a Summer Heat Wave

As summer heat intensifies, it’s essential to prepare yourself and your team for safe outdoor work. Implementing proactive measures, such as monitoring heat parameters and providing support, significantly reduces the risk of heat-related illnesses, ensuring the well-being and productivity of your workforce in challenging conditions.

Heat Parameters: Appoint someone to monitor temperatures during outdoor work and halt operations if temperatures surpass a certain threshold to prevent heat illness.

Acclimate Workers: Acclimate workers to extreme heat, which requires up to two weeks, and educate them on recognizing symptoms such as muscle cramps, heavy sweating, dizziness, headaches and heat strokes.

Modify Job Schedules: Job schedules should be adjusted, following practices like starting early and finishing by midday, especially during heatwaves.

Provide Support: Provide necessary support such as shade structures, water stations and cooling stations. Acknowledge the potential risks posed by personal protective equipment (PPE) in extreme heat and consider the use of cooling vests to mitigate these dangers.

Remember, proactive measures not only protect against heat-related illnesses but also foster a culture of care and responsibility within your team. Stay cool, stay hydrated and stay safe amidst the summer heat waves.

Preparation tips for Summer heat waves. CleanLink. (n.d.). https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/Preparation-Tips-for-Summer-Heat-Waves–30863