Across the country, extreme weather has taken hold with a heat wave engulfing much of the South and poor air quality driving people inside throughout the Midwest. The heat is especially tough on our team members who face a unique set of heat-related hazards while fulfilling their job responsibilities. They perform tough physical labor in facilities that are hot and humid (over 90 degrees) while wearing heavy PPE protective equipment.
To avoid heat-related illnesses, like as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, it’s critical they take precautions such as:
- Staying hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, after, and during your shift to avoid dehydration. OSHA’s recommendation is to drink at least one cup of water every 20 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.
- Taking Regular breaks: Schedule frequent breaks in a cooler area so that your body has a chance to cool down and use that time to rehydrate.
- Using Cooling Devices: If possible, place a wet towel around your neck to help lower your body temperature.
- Listening to your body: Pay attention to any signs of a heat-related illness in yourself and your co-workers, such as dizziness, fatigue or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms or see a coworker demonstrating any, then alert a supervisor.
- Trying to avoid caffeine: Caffeine has a dehydrating effect and reduces your body’s natural ability to regulate its temperature; cutting back even a little can help.
- Communicating with team members: Open communication between our employees and their supervisors is always important, especially where health and safety are concerned. If you or a co-worker are feeling the signs of a heat-related illness, please speak to your supervisor immediately.
With food processing workers at a higher risk for exposure to heat stress, taking these precautions during the hot summer months requires a team effort—from our management to on-site supervisors to team members on the floor of our facilities. If we work together and look out for each other, we can have a safe summer.