Q3 2018 - Safety Spotlight
Safety Spotlight
The Safety team has recently started a monthly email blast to all of our employees in an effort to share information and safety messages throughout our company. We will be communicating safety topics as a reminder to everyone about the importance of Safety everyday not just at work but in our personal lives as well. Feel free to reply to or share your own safety experiences through the new email at safety@shalepro.com
The safety team is also proud to announce that May and June were both months without any recordable injuries! Keep up the good work towards incident free operations!
Mac
Heat Stress
ith the summer heat upon us it is very important to pay attention to the weather and specifically the high temperatures. Different people react differently to heat. Some symptoms of heat exhaustion are headache, heat cramps, weakness, dizziness, or nausea. You may have blurred vision, pass out, suffer convulsions and in severe cases Heat Stroke which can be fatal.
High humidity adds to the suffering. Your body will not cool down as much from sweating because the sweat cannot evaporate as efficiently. Everyone is more irritable and makes more mistakes when the temperature is above the comfort zone. Be aware of the conditions and be more careful.
In general, at about 85 degrees and 90 percent humidity, most people are going to be uncomfortable. At about 92 degrees and 90 percent humidity, the body begins to react and heat exhaustion becomes possible. Whether or not a person can function in the heat is dependent upon your health, your physical condition, and how hard you are working. Other factors are how much sleep you received the night before or how well rested you are. Stress is another factor in your ability to cope with the heat. A major factor is your acclimatization or how much time you spend working in the heat. Smoking, alcohol, or illness reduces your tolerance to heat.
What can you do to improve your tolerance?
· Always drink plenty of water.
· Take frequent breaks and get into shaded areas to get out of the direct sunlight.
· Keep an eye on you co workers and communicate to them to keep an eye on you.
Drinking Gatorade in moderation may help as well. When you are exposed to heat, it is important to stay hydrated. Water is the most logical form of hydration. However, sports drinks like Gatorade contain sugar and electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Sports drinks can help replace what we lose during longer heat exposure, especially in the heat.
Electrolytes and carbohydrates help to refuel and rehydrate the body. Electrolytes help regulate the body’s fluid balance while the carbs provide energy.
What not to do!
Coffee, soft drinks and energy drinks can contain caffeine that will not provide adequate hydration. The more you drink, the more you will need to drink to keep up with your fluid loss.