Emphasizing the importance of construction safety is important at all times. This is especially true during June, which is Safety Month.
As the temperatures and humidity rise, your construction team likely faces increasing risks while on the job. This is why taking precautions is even more important. Focusing on small steps can make a big difference in the safety of your team.
Implement these tips to enhance your construction team’s safety.
Talk About Appropriate Clothing
Educate your team on wearing clothing that protects them from the sun and heat while working.
- The clothing needs to keep your team members safe in a potentially hazardous environment.
- Lightweight safety apparel provides breathability and prevents heat from being trapped next to the skin.
Prioritize Hydration
Emphasize the importance of staying hydrated. The more water your team members drink, the less likely they will become dehydrated and overheated.
- Keep sources of water close by at all times.
- Encourage your team to bring refillable bottles to work each day.
- Allow for frequent water breaks.
- Discourage drinking soda, lemonade, energy drinks, or other beverages that do not hydrate as water does.
Emphasize Healthy Habits
The better physical shape your team members are in, the better equipped their bodies are to deal with the stress of extreme heat. Extra body fat and underlying health concerns contribute to bodies becoming overheated and damaged.
- Encourage your team to regularly eat healthy foods and exercise daily.
- Point out that consuming high-fat, heavy, or greasy food often results in bloating and nausea.
- Lighter meals and snacks, such as a sandwich or fruit, can prevent hunger without weighing down your workers.
- Discourage smoking, drinking alcohol, and using illegal drugs.
Allow Frequent Breaks
Let your workers take regular breaks throughout the day. Encourage your team to rest and recover in the shade.
- Frequent breaks help prevent the body from reaching such a high temperature that it cannot cool itself down.
- Resting in the shade better equips the body to deal with the heat.
Look for Signs of Heat Illness
Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can occur in hot weather. Either can lead to loss of consciousness or death.
- Heat exhaustion or heatstroke may occur when the body is exposed to excessively high temperatures.
- The body’s natural temperature-regulating mechanisms fail.
- Symptoms of heat exhaustion include a rapid or weak pulse, intense sweating or cool skin with goosebumps, muscle cramps, and low blood pressure.
- Symptoms of heatstroke include confusion, agitation, slurred speech, delirium, headaches, and vomiting.
- Heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke.
- The brain, kidneys, heart, and muscles can be damaged.
- Get an affected team member to a shaded area for rehydration.
- Call 911 if appropriate.
Hire Safety-Minded Construction Workers
Bring aboard safety-trained workers with help from CCS Construction Staffing. Learn more today.