Things have been heatin’ up across the nation—literally. From our home base in Denver, temperatures this July have been reaching over 95 degrees daily, and we’re lucky compared to other places. It’s good weather for wearing our Base Layers by themselves, protecting your skin by covering it up with our ultra-breathable B1 Sun Hoodie (men’s and women’s fits).

With most of our sidewalks hot enough to fry breakfast on, the heat and how to stay healthy/safe in it continues to be top of mind for Truewerk and our customers. We figure now’s a good time to remind folks who work in the heat about heat safety practices and tips for proper heat dress. We’ve rounded up the resources into this Heat Facts Sheet, featuring tips and facts you need to stay safe on the job.

Know When Job Site Heat Becomes the Enemy

Sometimes working in hot environments for long periods of time is simply unavoidable in the trades, indoors and out—especially in the summer months.

One of the most dire heat facts is that, when the body is unable to maintain a stable temperature, heat illnesses can occur and even become fatal. High temperatures, humidity, low fluid consumption, direct sun exposure with no shade, no breeze or wind coupled with physical exertion and use of bulky equipment are all factors that can lead to your body overheating.

According to OSHA (hey, they know what they’re talking about when it comes to heat facts!), there are four major heat-related health problems to be aware of in the field:

1. Heat Stroke is the most serious of them all. It occurs when the body’s temperature regulating system fails and the body’s temperature rises to critical levels (greater than 104°F). Recognizing the warning signs is crucial for practicing heat safety. If you don’t remember any of the other heat facts on this list, remember this one. Heat can kill you and you might not even realize it till it’s too late. If you or someone in your crew starts experiencing confusion, hot skin and no sweat, loss of consciousness, and seizures—take action immediately and call 911. Look out for one another.
   
   
2. Heat Exhaustion is slightly less serious, but more common. Next on our list of heat facts is heat exhaustion—a very common problem for trade and construction professionals. The signs and symptoms are headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, confusion, thirst, heavy sweating and a body temperature greater than 100.4°F. Individuals with heat exhaustion should be removed from the hot area and given liquids to drink. You can practice good heat safety by cooling them with cold compresses to the head, neck, and face or having the individual wash his or her head, face and neck with cold water. Encourage frequent sips of cool water, but not chugging. Practice prevention by dressing for the weather and thinking about workwear as a system.
   
   
3. Heat Cramps are muscle pains usually caused by the loss of body salts and fluid during sweating. One of the simplest heat facts is replenishment: Trade professionals and construction crewmembers with heat cramps should replace fluid loss by drinking water and/or carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement liquids (e.g., sports drinks) every 15 to 20 minutes. Keep in mind that big brands may not actually have all the salts your body needs, because it’s more than just sodium, and they may not be the best choice for heat safety. (Magnesium, potassium, and calcium are a few other salts you need.) As an alternative, you can buy fully balanced electrolyte powders to add to water. They don’t taste as good but they’ll make you feel much better. You can also try bananas to help maintain good electrolytes for heat safety.
   
   
4. Heat Rash is the most common problem in hot work environments caused by sweating. No list of heat facts would be complete without talking about heat rash. A heat rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters and may appear on the neck, upper chest, groin, under the breasts and elbow creases. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes unavoidable if seeking out a cooler, less humid work environment isn’t an option. The rash area should be kept dry as best as possible and applying baby powder frequently can increase comfort. Ointments and creams should not be used on a heat rash. Anything that makes the skin warm or moist may make the rash worse.

Print this rundown of warning signs and symptoms from the CDC. It covers many heat illnesses, their signs, and how to address them. Give copies to the crew so everyone can be on the same page and keep one handy on the jobsite.

Here’s a straightforward visual focused on the two most serious heat illnesses to share with friends and coworkers, too:

Knowing what the warning signs are and looking out for them can help catch a heat illness before it becomes too late. By knowing your heat facts, embracing the camaraderie of your crew, having each other’s backs and keeping an open dialogue about how everyone might be feeling, you can practice good heat safety and protect yourself and each other from the heat. Thankfully, there are many ways to prevent these illnesses and ways to stay cool.

Keeping It Cool

From working on construction sites to crouching in attics, even the fittest trade professional will feel the impact of extreme heat. The work you do is always physically challenging, but the heat isn’t something to be shrugged off as part of the job. So, how to get the job done without jeopardizing your health and well-being?

Here are some heat facts for keeping it cool. The best way to survive the heat is to plan ahead and incorporate prevention measures. ForConstructionPros.com says it perfectly: “You wouldn’t show up at a worksite without the right tools, and you shouldn’t arrive unprepared for the heat.”

While taking a few hours out of the heat to find cool spots with arctic-worthy air conditioning typically isn’t an option for the hardworking men and women of the trades, these 8 heat safety tips that we curated from all over the web are:

1. Hydrate! You’re probably getting sick of us talking about drinking water, but this is probably the most practical of all heat facts—and also one of the easiest to overlook. heading back over to our hydration talk with Dr. Missy is in your best interest. Water is critical. Your water bottle? Let it become your best friend. Check out this urine color chart while you’re at it too.
   
   
2. Cut the caffeine. Overdoing it on caffeine can prompt dehydration whether it's coffee, energy drinks, soda, or even tea. Even if you're hankering for a boost to get you through a tough afternoon, try to avoid or at least minimize it when that afternoon involves fiercely hot temperatures.
   
   
3. Dress smart. Here’s another one of our most practical yet easy-to-overlook heat facts: Less is not more in the sun. It’s a good idea to wear cool, loose-fitting clothing in light-colored fabrics that breathe and help your body maintain a healthy temperature—like say, our B1 Sun Hoodie or Cloud Shirt. As hard as it may be to resist stripping off your clothing when you feel like the sun is out to get you, leaving skin exposed will make matters worse. Also, be sure your clothing is the right size so that you’re not wearing extra fabric with clothing that’s too loose or suffocating your skin with clothing that’s too tight. Ladies, check out our women’s workwear to find clothes that offer a better fit. Our men’s workwear can be worn unisex, but if there’s a women’s cut option, it’s worth trying.
   
   
4. Rest. Preferably in the shade. Do give yourself ample breaks. If you can rotate jobs among the crew, you should, so that everyone can take brief cover. Pop-up tents are a heat safety necessity if there are no natural shady spots.
   
   
5. Adjust your diet. Now we’re into the heat facts people hate, but hear us out: Because working in the heat comes with a new set of challenges, meaty lunches might not be the best idea. Your body generates even more heat as it tries to break down those heavy meals. Dietary fat requires a lot of water to be processed by your body, and protein generates a lot of heat as you digest it. Both of these contribute to making you more susceptible to overheating. You’re better off with carbohydrate-rich smaller snacks and light meals. Include plenty of leafy green veggies, fresh fruit, and a few nuts to amp up the electrolytes. Plus, as crazy as it sounds: Spicy food or soup can actually cool you down as it enhances your circulation and the body’s natural way of cooling. Heat safety doesn’t have to taste bad!
   
   
6. Sprinkle some H2O on your body. Whether you’re pouring a bit from your water bottle and grabbing ice from a crew cooler, putting it on your wrists and back of the neck will make you feel better out in the hot sun.
   
   
7. Acquire a taste for coconut water. Here’s one of the tastier heat facts: It has been scientifically shown that coconut will keep your electrolytes in better shape than plain water when you are sweating, thanks to its abundance of potassium.
   
   
8. Adjust accordingly. Work in the mornings and evenings as much as you can. Try to plan for the most physically demanding work to be done before or after the midday sun is beating down.

Check Out More Heat Facts

While these heat safety tips might not cover it all, this 3-pager titled Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat touches on things we might have missed, like designating a person to oversee a heat stress program or acclimatization. It goes without saying that wherever you work, there should be an emergency plan related to heat in place.

We also recommend printing some of these infographics and keeping them in a place that will be visible on a daily basis, so that the signs of heat illnesses and ways to prevent them are never missed. It’s always a good idea to keep quick-reference heat facts close at hand. 

Truewerk strives to make high performance workwear to protect your health in any job site environment. That’s why we put so much thought into everything we make, from workwear shorts to summer-weight pants, we want you to be healthy in the heat and sun. 

Let Us Know Your Heat Safety Tips

Got some heat facts for us? Tell us how you’re embracing the summer health practices we’ve been talking about all month long by commenting below and give us ideas for our next blog post.