The summer of 2023 was the hottest summer ever recorded, and this summer may very well surpass it. This trend is evidernt across various sector, including lumberyards. This article will guide you how contractors can keep cool during summers. Warming is projected to increase roughly 2°F to 4°F for all parts of the nation, and the northern Great Plains and Midwest will be hit especially hard.
Such severe temperature increases will negatively affect lumberyard material handlers, construction workers, and roofers, who work outside and perform highly physical labor for hours at a time.
As a lumberyard owner, manager, or contractor, how contractors can keep cool during summers to keep yourself and your fellow workers safe from extreme heat? The Department of Labor has been working on new rules to protect workers from heat hazards, but in the meantime, here are some ways to prevent your crew from overheating on the job:
Heat-Specific Job Training
How contractors can keep cool during summers is crucial for maintaining a heat-safe worksite. A key step towards creating a heat-safe worksite is getting everyone to take the dangers of heat seriously. In this business, there can be a tendency to “tough it out” to get the job done. But workers need to understand that when it’s hot out, being too tough can get them in trouble.
Before tackling any projects during a particularly hot period, be sure to educate yourself and your crew on the risks of physical outdoor work in extreme heat, as well as any personal health factors that could contribute to heat-related illness.
Get specific about fluid replacement guidelines, mandatory rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas, the importance of immediate first aid, and when it’s time to contact emergency medical services. Take particular care to protect any new workers who may not be acclimated to the heat in your area, the stresses of the job, or both.
The more formal the training, the better. If everyone’s on the verge of suffering a heat-related illness, you won’t get any work done, anyway. So, approach heat safety the same way you approach safety training on other work-specific tasks.
Download the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App
Quickly checking the forecast in the morning will give you the current temperature and perhaps a general sense of how hot it will be that day, but it’s a good idea to get more specific.
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool will give you real-time heat index data, risk levels, and recommended precautions for your specific location. You’ll also get an hourly forecast that lets you plan ahead based on scientific recommendations. The app is available in both English and Spanish.
Know What Symptoms to Look For
Planning ahead can help prevent anyone from getting sick on the job in the first place. Of course, even if you’re extra cautious, there’s still a chance someone will experience a heat-related illness if it’s hot enough. It’s crucial to know what the symptoms of heat-related illnesses look like, such as:
- Cramping, which usually shows up as muscle spasms or pain in the legs, arms, or torso
- Heat syncope, which causes dizziness and even fainting
- Heat rash, which often appears on the neck, upper chest, and/or skin folds as clusters of red bumps
- Rhabdomyolysis, or muscle breakdown, which is evidenced by muscle pain and weakness as well as dark urine
Then there’s heat exhaustion, which is characterized by:
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Thirst
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Unusually excessive amounts of sweat
- Elevated body temperature
- Increased heart rate
Heat stroke is the most severe heat-related illness, and the symptoms are similar to those of life-threatening strokes, such as:
- Disorientation or confusion
- Seizures
- Slurred speech
- Unconsciousness
- Heavy sweating or hot, dry skin
- Greatly elevated body temperature
- Very rapid heart rate
OSHA requires the ready availability of first aid personnel and equipment and has developed an Employers’ Guide to Safety Training. If a worker is showing signs of a heat-related illness, stop them from doing any more work. Then, quickly escort them to a shaded or air-conditioned area, remove outer layers of clothing, place ice or cold wet towels on their body, and use fans to get air moving around them. If possible, put them in an ice bath, as this is considered the best and fastest way to address a heat illness emergency.
Don’t leave them alone — their illness can suddenly become worse. If they don’t seem to be getting better or if you’re at all unsure, call 911 immediately and continue cooling them until help arrives.
If you’re a lumberyard owner, manager, or head contractor, you must stay well-versed on how contractors can keep cool during summers and the symptoms and treatments for heat illnesses and share this knowledge with your crew. Doing so is crucial to maintaining workplace safety during the hot summer months.
Stock up on Heat-Resistant Work Clothing
Equipment World recommends a number of products that can help your crew work in hot weather more safely. These include sweatbands, skull caps, thermally optimized hard hats to keep your head cool, sun-blocking neck covers, and lightweight, ventilated, sweat-wicking safety shirts. You could even invest in an evaporative cooling vest that is activated by soaking it in cold water for just a few minutes.
Let BPI Ease Your Summertime Stress
Between staying safe and staying productive, you’ve got a lot to worry about this summer. By partnering with BPI for your building product needs, you can take one big worry off your plate, leaving you with more time and energy to focus on ensuring safe working conditions through education and prevention.
Reach out to our team today to learn more about what we offer.
