As most folks who work in hot indoor and/or outdoor environments know, the key to heat stress prevention is “Water, Rest & Shade”. While this concept is straight forward, the application of the “Water” component can be misunderstood or misapplied. Noted below are some basic principles that should be applied to ensure that you and your coworkers stay well hydrated throughout the course of the workday.
Do’s
- Drink plenty of water prior to starting work in hot environments. If you wait until you are thirsty to start drinking water, you are already dehydrated.
- As a general rule of thumb, you should drink about 16 ounces of water every 30 minutes when you are performing tasks involving moderate or heavy physical exertion and/or in hotter work environments.
- Alternate between drinking water and electrolyte-replacing beverages.
- Start drinking cool water before beginning work for the day. While warm or cool water will lower your heart rate and hydrate your body, cool water helps prevent core body temperature from rising to dangerous levels.
- Keep drink stations as close to the work area as possible to encourage workers to drink water and/or electrolyte-replenishing drinks more frequently.
Don’ts
- Drink sodas, caffeinated coffee, and energy drinks. These beverages contain high levels of caffeine which contribute to dehydration. If you feel like you have to drink a caffeinated beverage, chase it down with some water.
- Drink exclusively water or electrolyte replenishment drinks alone. Drinking too much water dilutes electrolytes, while drinking too much electrolyte replenishment drinks can result in blood pressure spikes and weight gain.
- Drink warm or hot water. Warm water increases blood pressure.
- Use a community cup to dispense drinking water. This is unsanitary and could deter some employees from drinking water.
Hydration Chart
Checking the color of your urine can determine whether you are well hydrated or not, use the Hydration Chart below to determine this.
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool provides vital safety information whenever and wherever you need it – right on your mobile phone! Download the app here.
