Heat Stress
- Drink 4 to 8 ounces of water or sports drink every 20 minutes while working in hot, humid conditions.
- Limit fluids to no more than 1 ½ quarts per hour when working in hot, humid conditions.
- Do not drink more than a total of 12 quarts of fluid in 24 hours.
Drink enough cool liquids when working in hot environments.
- Limit the intake of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
- Wear light-colored clothing.
- Know the signs and symptoms of heat stress; use the buddy system to monitor one another for these signs/symptoms.
- If someone shows signs of heat stress (exhaustion or stroke), request immediate medical attention, move the individual to a cooler area in the shade, loosen or remove restrictive or heavy clothing, provide cool drinking water, and fan and mist the person with water.
- Consider the use of personal cooling devices. Examples of cooling devices include cooling vests or suits that use circulating water or ice packs, and venturi cooling systems for air-supplied respirators or encapsulating suits.
Sunburn
- Wear suntan lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater. Reapply as necessary to ensure protection throughout the work shift.
- When possible, wear a wide brim hat to protect exposed skin on face, head, and neck.
- When possible, set up work area in a shaded location.
- When possible, schedule tasks when individuals will not be exposed to direct sunlight such as during the early morning or late afternoon.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-12. How can workers combat heat stress when working in hot environments?
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