Learn how to work safely in high-temperatures

Over the past years, the summer months have seen a dramatic rise in temperatures, so it has become necessary for construction workers to take precautions and caution while working in these bad rituals, especially those working in the Gulf countries where temperatures sometimes reach 42 degrees Celsius and sometimes higher than that.

During the summer of 2019, most countries experienced heatwaves, and while working on construction sites, the heat of the summer with asphalt can reach 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This rise in temperatures often causes injury to many workers and sometimes may cause death. High temperatures lead to heat rash, fainting, thermal stroke, and other symptoms.

Anyone who works in construction is always afraid of those hot days because of the great difficulty workers face. As construction works cannot be halted during the summer, workers and business owners must take measures to avoid the problems caused by rising temperatures.

Here are 5 ways you can implement to prevent high-temperature injuries:

1. Hydrate

Hydrate is meaning to make your body absorb water or other liquids.

So, the day before work, during the night, be sure to drink plenty of fluids (such as water or sports drinks that provide the body with power), and also during the workday.

Water and liquids will protect you from the heat as it will carry heat away from your internal organs. knowing that the heat travels through your bloodstream to your skin, which leads to sweating, while the sweat evaporates, this allows you to cool your body down and maintain safe body temperature.

2. Wearing proper clothes

Make sure to wear sportswear, light-colored and loose-fitting clothes, that are made of natural materials such as cotton, and avoid wearing synthetic clothing. Wearing sportswear helps in the body’s evaporative cooling process when temperatures rise, and it protects the body from UV rays and insects.

Safety goggles should be worn to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation and be sure to cover the head well, so it is preferable to wear a hard-brimmed hat to protect the head. Finally, sunblock should be applied to any exposed area of the skin.

3. Eat healthily & sleep well

Eating a healthy meal and getting a good amount of sleep are essential factors to protect the body from injury while working at high temperatures.

Thus, you should choose healthy snacks that make you feel full without burdening you, such as eating a sandwich and some fruits, and you should avoid eating greasy foods because they will make you feel bloated and nauseous, which is Not good while working in high temperatures.

Getting a good amount of sleep will help you to maintain the health of your body, therefore you must devote sufficient time to sleep, and often during the hot months of the year sleep is uncomfortable and intermittent due to the high temperatures, and therefore you can use the cooling devices to keep the room cool in order to sleep In a calm manner.

4. Take frequent breaks

Most of the time it is not possible to stop work during very hot day periods, therefore frequent rest periods should be taken to rest in the shade. Getting some rest from the shade will help the body to adjust its temperature and calm it, and thus it will help it be more prepared to deal with the heat.

5. Know signs of Heat-related illnesses

Illnesses caused by exposure to high temperatures are very serious diseases and must be wary of, these illnesses are divided into heat cramps, which usually result from poor hydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.

Thus, you must educate yourself and know the purposes of these illnesses in order to be able to notice signs of emergence and know how to prevent them. The boss in the worksite must also carefully monitor the workers to act quickly in case of observing any signs indicate that the worker injured with Heat-related illnesses. That worker must be taken out quickly from the sun and start giving him plenty of water and fluids to moisturize the body and reduce its temperature.

It should be noted that there are cases that need medical intervention, in the case of sunstroke, it is urgent to take the patient to the hospital to obtain the necessary care.

OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Organization, has issued a free application that can be downloaded to mobile phones, which enables workers and supervisors at worksites to monitor the temperatures in their locations, and it also displays the extent of the risk to which the worker can be exposed according to the temperature indicator, in addition to Reminders about precautions to take at this risk level.

For the apple store, you can download the application through the following link: shorturl.at/xHLR6

For google play, you will be able to download the application by clicking on the following link: shorturl.at/jopJK