In today’s fast-track construction environment, employers must reinforce the importance of keeping workers hydrated on the job.
When working in heat and humidity, evaporation is usually the primary mechanism of heat dissipation. The evaporation of sweat from the skin’s surface assists the body in regulating core temperature.
A side effect of sweating is the loss of valuable fluids. The rate of fluid loss is related to work intensity, environmental conditions, acclimatization state, clothing and hydration status. Dehydration of more than 3 percent of body weight increases the risk of developing a heat illness, heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
The onset of significant dehydration is preventable when hydration protocols are followed. Workers should begin their workday well-hydrated and drink before they’re thirsty. Thirst means dehydration has already begun.
Hydration generally requires 10 fluid ounces every 10 to 20 minutes, depending on sweat rate and environmental conditions.
Rehydration should involve water to restore hydration status, carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores and electrolytes to speed rehydration. While individual differences exist, cool beverages (50 to 59 degrees) are recommended because they are absorbed at a faster rate than warm beverages. Avoid carbonated beverages, which decrease the amount of fluids that can be absorbed by the body, as well as caffeine, which acts as a diuretic and increases fluid loss.
Fruit juices, sodas and some sports drinks have concentrations of sugars greater than 8 percent and are not recommended for rehydration. They require greater digestion and delay water from being absorbed into the body’s tissues.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration are thirst, irritability and general discomfort followed by headache, weakness, dizziness, cramps, chills, nausea, head or neck heat sensations, and decreased performance. Early diagnosis of dehydration decreases the occurrence and severity of heat illness.
Hygiene Concerns
A major concern of employers is the cleanliness of the coolers in which employees store beverages.
Typically, construction workers, maintenance employees and truck crews place a cooler on a truck, in a tent or on a structure. Coolers that are not properly cleaned or maintained may become contaminated with bacteria that can cause illness or even death. Health regulations require that all coolers filled by hand be emptied and cleaned at the end of the day, following no more than 24 hours of use.
Some questions to consider include: Are coolers being cleaned properly, and how often? What is the water and ice source? Who mixes the beverages in the coolers, where are they being mixed, and how are they being stirred? Are the coolers sealed after cleaning? Does anyone open them later in the day to store bottles, cans or food?
Due to the potential for staph infections, safety managers and workers alike would be well-served to evaluate how beverages are provided on the jobsite.
Today, the market offers creative options, such as sealed bladder systems, that allow construction companies to use existing coolers, eliminate hygiene concerns and increase hydration in the workforce.
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Friday, September 3, 2010