Prevention
Maintain Workers' Body Fluids at Normal Levels
This is necessary to ensure the cardiovascular system functions adequately.
Coolshirt Systems
Daily fluid intake must approximately equal the amount of water lost in sweat, i.e., 8 fluid ounces (0.23 liters) of water must be ingested for approximately every 8 ounces (0.23 kg) of weight lost. The normal thirst mechanism is not sensitive enough to ensure enough water will be drunk to replace lost sweat. When heavy sweating occurs, encourage the worker to drink more. The following strategies may be useful:
- Maintain water temperature at 50° to 60°F (10° to 15.6°C).
- Provide small disposable cups which hold about 4 ounces (0.1 liter).
- Have workers drink 16 ounces (0.5 liters) of fluid (preferably water or dilute drinks) before beginning work.
- Urge workers to drink a cup or two every 15 to 20 minutes, or at each monitoring break. A total of 1 to 1.6 gallons (4 to 6 liters) of fluid per day are recommended, but more may be necessary to maintain body weight.
- Weigh workers before and after work to determine if fluid replacement is adequate.
Encourage workers to maintain an optimal level of physical fitness:
- Where indicated, acclimatize workers to site work conditions: temperature, protective clothing, and workload.
- Urge workers to maintain normal weight levels.
Provide cooling devices to aid natural body heat exchange during prolonged work or severe heat exposure. Cooling devices include:
- field showers or hose-down areas to reduce body temperature and/or to cool off protective clothing
- cooling jackets, vests, or suits
Train workers to recognize and treat heat stress.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
6-6. How can managers help each employee prevent heat stress at work?
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