Points to Emphasize
Drink plenty of water to keep body fluid levels up.
Get out of the heat occasionally and take breaks in cool, shady areas.
Be alert to early warnings of heat stress, both in yourself and in your co-workers. Take action.
Heat stress needs to be taken seriously
Working in a hot environment puts stress on the body's cooling system. When heat is combined with
other stresses, like hard physical work, loss of fluids, or fatigue, it may lead to heat-related illness,
disability, or even death!
The body is always generating heat and passing it to the environment. The harder you work the more
heat your body has to lose. Heat leaves your body in several ways:
Transfer from skin to air
Evaporation by perspiration
Exhaling hot air
Touching a cool object
Water is crucial to helping the body adjust to high temperatures. The rate of water intake must equal
the increased rate of water loss by perspiration to keep body temperature normal. When it's hot, drink
plenty of water!
Your body must work even harder to get rid of excess heat when conditions are both hot and humid.
Unfortunately, perspiration can't evaporate as readily under muggy conditions. The process is easier if
the surrounding air is moving.
Sickness and accident rates increase when heavy work is done at temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius
(86 degrees Fahrenheit).
tailgate talks
dangers of Heat stress
wsps.ca
