Extreme Heat Survival Tips For Workers

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Warning Signs
Six simple tips for working in extreme heat
What to do if you suffer:

• Heat cramps
  
• Heat exhaustion
• Heat stroke
• Water intoxication

While other regions look forward to the summer months to provide them with some respite to the cooler winters, summer in the GCC is intense. It drives people indoors, stops construction in its tracks and makes life unbearable for those forced to struggle through power outages and a lack of air-conditioning.

The heat also kills. Though many GCC countries have implemented work bans during peak hours which have helped reduce the risk of accidents, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the risks remain for anyone exposed to the intense summer temperatures for prolonged periods. The work ban has reduced the number of incidents but it will never eliminate the risk entirely.

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There are, however, a few simple things that managers and workers themselves can do to help reduce the risks posed by working in extreme temperatures. In all circumstances, prevention is better than a cure - and the measures required are reasonably simple and straight-forward. Well-hydrated workers with good nutrition and reasonable fitness skills rarely suffer, even in the most extreme circumstances - but there is no room for complacency when working in such extreme conditions.

Awareness

Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C) and, when you exercise, your temperature increases. It doesn't increase a lot surprisingly - the human body is highly susceptible to fluctuations in core temperature - and your body reacts fairly quickly to any major changes .

Your body has a natural way to maintain a core temp of 98.6. However, if electrolytes and exposure to heat for long periods of time exist, this internal mechanism can be compromised and lead to heat injuries . If untreated, the body will heat uncontrollably and heat stroke will occur-with a 20% mortality.

The body does two things to cool down. It sweats, which cools the skin through evaporation, and it increases blood circulation to the skin surface helps transfer heat to the cooler atmosphere. That why people turn red when they exercise.

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