It’s been a hot summer around the country! In these conditions, it is very natural to get affected by the extreme heat. Heat strokes, heat stress, heat exhaustion, and several other forms of heat illnesses are very common in people nowadays. The worst part is that these illnesses target people across all age groups and can leave behind harmful effects.
This blog shall guide you to know more about the harmful effects of heat illnesses and how to prevent them from affecting you. Let us get started.
How Does Heat Affect Our Body?
The human body generally maintains a body temperature a few degrees above or below 98.6° F. During hot summers, this heat balance within the body is often disrupted because the body cannot properly cool down at a fast rate.
When the body overheats, blood vessels get bigger, and the heart starts to beat faster. Blood from the inner body is carried to the outer layers of the skin for cooling. If the temperature outside is warmer than the body temperature, the brain signals the body to release heat in the form of sweating.
The body loses a lot of water and salt through sweating. As a result, the body undergoes dehydration and physical strains. This is how heat illnesses affect our bodies.
Types of Heat Illnesses and General Symptoms
Heat illnesses can occur in various forms. While some of them can be simply in the form of physical rashes, light-headedness, or fatigue, others can be as dangerous as painful cramps, heat strokes, and even fainting.
Different heat illnesses can affect people in different ways. However, most of these heat illnesses share similar symptoms.
Let us look at some of the most common heat illnesses and their general symptoms.
Heat Rashes
The most common physical symptom is heat rashes. These may occur in the form of:
● A cluster of blisters or pimples
● Itchiness and reddening of the skin
● Sensitive, patchy skin
● Infections in sensitive areas that are prone to sweat
Heat Exhaustion
This usually occurs when the body undergoes excessive loss of water and salt due to sweating. Heat exhaustion may lead to:
● Painful muscle cramps and spasms
● Fast or weak pulse rate
● Abnormal body temperature
● Fast or shallow breathing
● Nausea, vomiting, and fatigue
● Dizziness and even fainting
Heat Strokes
This is probably the most dangerous type caused due to overheating of the body. Heat strokes may even require medical attention if they worsen. Some major symptoms of it are:
● High body temperature
● Rapid breathing
● A racing pulse rate due to excessive pressure on the heart
● Flushed red skin
● A throbbing headache
● Nausea, vomiting, and fatigue
Prevention Tips
To avoid heat illnesses, it is necessary to know some techniques to prevent them. Safety is always better than cure, so here are some basic heat prevention tips everyone should follow:
● Reduce body heat load by mechanizing tasks, sharing work, and increasing rest time.
● Reduce radiant heat loads by increasing distance from source, insulating the source, or reflecting the heat.
● When the temperature of the work area is 95°F or above, try to lower air temperature, lower air velocity, and wear protective clothing.
● When the temperature of the work area is below 95°F, try to lower air temperature, increase air velocity, and wear less clothing.
● Increase evaporative heat loss (by sweating) by increasing air velocity and decreasing humidity.
● Shorten each exposure period; use frequent breaks.
● Use an air-conditioned rest area with well-adjusted air velocity.
● Allow workers to self-limit exposure based on signs and symptoms (but be careful).
● Provide plenty of cool water; replace electrolytes as recommended by medical staff.
● Wear clothing that allows maximum cooling with minimum sweating (loose is good).
● Under extreme conditions, you may need to use cooled protective clothing.
● Educate workers who are exposed to hot conditions.
Conclusion
There are several factors that influence the consequences of working under hot conditions. Proper planning and implementation of a few control measures can make working under these circumstances much more tolerable from a health standpoint.
You owe it to your co-workers/employees and their families.