June 2015

Heat creates problems on jobsites. Dehydration is a serious medical issue when the average work-time temperature exceeds 85.

Supply plenty of water and encourage a few minutes in the shade every hour. Rotate employees out so work continues. You want your people to be strong enough to work five days per week.

If anyone suffers any of these symptoms, require a rest and water break to evaluate the remainder of the crew. Plenty of water before workers become thirsty keys prevention.

Be especially cautious when pouring concrete, particularly slabs, in the heat. Concrete sets as an exothermic reaction, that is: heat producing.

The light colored concrete reflects sunlight up combined with the heat generated from the setting concrete creates a very hot work environment on mild days.

A setting slab is very hot to the touch when air temperatures exceed eighty degrees.

Obviously, asphalt work is excruciatingly hot in the summer. Require workers to drink water. Check your air conditioners in the dump trucks which will haul hot asphalt. When that cab has no means of cooling down, the three hundred degree asphalt and hot sun can bake the driver.

Consider cooling tents on especially hot days. A little shade with misting water refreshes and revitalizes workers quickly. The rest periods can be shorter with this arrangement.

Assure shade on site for lunch breaks or mid-morning break. Natural trees are best, but a lean-to will do. Insist employees use the shade to rest and drink plenty of water.

A good test of proper hydration on the jobsite is the need to urinate every three hours. Workers should drink that much water. It’s a difficult task, but that should be the goal. If an employee has some symptoms of heat illness, they should rehydrate at home for a day. These are very dangerous illnesses.