This training will be to the point because you already know when you get hot, and uncomfortable, generally, you want to keep as cool as possible under the conditions. Regardless of the outside temperature, the human body maintains a fairly constant temperature. Just like a furnace, your body burns fuel and manufactures heat to keep internal temperatures within safe limits.

Heat tends to promote accidents due to slipperiness of sweaty hands, dizziness or the fogging of safety glasses or other problems. You're just not as sharp in extreme heat as you are otherwise. What's the answer? Because it's hot, we shouldn't do anything or try to get the work out? Take the day off? No, the answer is to use your good judgment and take the precautions necessary to reduce the risks associated with heat stress.

Ok, let's quickly review some of the illnesses that can result from not taking proper precautions in a hot environment. Please understand that heat can do a lot of things to the body and it doesn't make any difference whether you're at home, play or work.
Heat stroke is the most serious of health problems in hot environments. The system simply breaks down under heat stress and sweating stops. No one knows why it happens and generally, there is no warning. A heat stroke victim's skin is hot, dry and usually red or spotted. Body temperature is 105 degrees or higher and rising. The victim may be mentally confused, delirious, or in convulsions or unconscious. Unless the victim receives quick and adequate medical treatment, it's all over.

We can't provide medical advice, that's up to your physician. In case of emergency, always call an ambulance for assistance. The generally accepted first aid treatment for heat stroke victims is to remove them to a cooler area and soak their clothing with cool water. Fan the victim to increase the cooling. It's critical to get professional medical treatment as soon as possible.

Heat exhaustion is caused by the loss of fluid in sweating, sometimes by the loss of salt or by both. The worker with heat exhaustion still sweats, but also experiences extreme weakness or fatigue, nausea or headache. In most cases of heat exhaustion, treatment is simple. Have the victim rest in a cool place and give him or her plenty of liquids, particularly cool water. In the years past, physicians recommended the use of lightly salted water, however, this medical advice is no longer used.

Persons with heart problems or those on low sodium diets must have a physician's advice on proper treatment.

We mentioned these two illnesses to give you an idea of what to do in case of a severe problem in hot environments. To be honest, persons who work in hot environments everyday, rarely have a heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

Even fainting from heat environments is rare, unless a person stands erect or immobile for a long period of time. If you're busy, moving around, fainting is not your problem. If a person does faint, due to heat, the best thing to do is remove that person to a cooler area, lay the person down to allow blood to return to the brain more quickly. After gaining consciousness, moving around would be of value to increase blood circulation.

These are just some of the examples of the problems that can occur, but again, these are rare. Just be aware of what can happen if you don't think about the problem and do something about it to prevent the problem. Normal, everyday work can be made less difficult, if you take proper precautions for the work, so let's take a look at what you can do.

In the course of a day's work, you can perspire away as much as 3 gallons of body fluid. More times than not, dehydration and loss of salt occurs from this fluid loss. Try to drink as much water as you lose. Drink water frequently. In hot environments, don't always depend upon thirst to tell you it's time to take a drink of water. In hot environments, you should drink water every 15 or 20 minutes. If you sweat a lot, drink plenty of water. If you choose to take salt tablets or lightly salted water, make sure you have the advice of your physician.

Next, we come to a touchy subject. You are certainly aware that drugs and alcohol are prohibited in the work place. But how about getting bombed the night before, then trying to work the next day?

Alcohol dehydrates your body and it takes a long time to correct the problem. If you work in hot environments, stay away from alcohol.

To summarize the information just reviewed, let's just say you should always use your common sense.

Staying cool may not be possible, but frequent rest periods, plenty of water intake and following your organization's work practices go a long way to reducing the stress of heat.
Your job is being aware of the hazard, then making the effort to reduce the effects of heat on the body. It includes such things as not taking chances and making sure of what you're going to do before you do it. If you're getting dizzy or feeling the effects of the heat, let your supervisor know. Not taking chances, that's the key.

You can work safely in hot environments, but you need to know what the hazards are and how to prevent the heat from becoming a safety and health problem .Drink plenty of water, follow your company's procedures and of course, stay off the booze.... Your safety and the safety of your co-workers deserves no less.