It’s the dog days of summer and if your employees work outside, you and your staff need to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion.

If you notice one of your workers standing to the side of a project, leaning heavily against an object while rubbing a cramp out of his leg or arm and then stumbling or weaving backward, you need to react. In the blazing heat of August, the employee may be suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion. It’s critical that the employee receives help before succumbing to heat stroke.

Since workers rarely recognize the signs of heat exhaustion in themselves, it’s important that colleagues and co-workers know the signs so they can convince the worker of what is happening.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include weakness, headache, excessive thirstiness, nausea (and actual vomiting), muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion, and pale and clammy skin. If you notice a worker experiencing any of these symptoms, follow these five tips to help the worker get relief:

• Move them to a shady (or air-conditioned) spot
• Loosen or remove tight tool belts, harnesses, other articles of clothing, etc.
• Give them plenty of fluids (not caffeine)
• Place a cool, wet towel on his neck or face
• If they don’t recover in 15 minutes, rush them to the emergency room

We at Security Specialists Want You and Your Staff to Stay Safe in Summer’s Heat!