Working in the Heat

Why this matters

Out here the heat sneaks up on you. Physical work, FR clothing and PPE that traps heat, full sun on the pad with no shade, and not enough water — the body can't shed heat fast enough and it starts to cook. The dangerous part: the person overheating is often the last one to know it. By the time it's heat stroke they may be confused and can't help themselves. That's why we watch each other.

Know the difference — this is the whole talk

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are not the same thing. One you treat in the shade. The other is a 911 call. Learn to tell them apart.

Heat exhaustion — serious, treat it now

The body is overheating but still fighting it. The person is usually still sweating and still mostly "with it." Watch for:

• Heavy sweating; skin cool, pale, and clammy
• Fast, weak pulse
• Headache, dizziness, feeling faint
• Nausea or vomiting
• Muscle cramps
• Weakness, tiredness, "I just need to sit down"

Heat stroke — a life-threatening emergency

The body's cooling has failed and core temperature is climbing past ~103°F. This kills or causes permanent brain and organ damage. Watch for:

• Skin hot and red — may be dry, or may still be sweaty (don't wait for "dry" to act)
• Confusion, slurred speech, staggering, acting "off" or combative
• Throbbing headache
• Fast, strong pulse
• Collapse, seizures, or passing out

First aid

For heat exhaustion

• Stop work. Get them into shade or an AC cab right away.
• Loosen or remove extra gear — FR layers, hard hat, boots if you can.
• Cool them: cool wet cloths or water on the skin, and fan. Focus on the neck, armpits, and groin.
• Have them sip cool water if they're alert and not nauseous.
• Stay with them. If they're not clearly better in 30–60 minutes, are vomiting, or get worse — get medical care. Heat exhaustion can slide into heat stroke.
• They're done for the day in the heat. Don't send them back out.

For heat stroke

• Call 911 immediately. Say the words "heat stroke" so they send the right response.
• Move them to a cooler place — shade or AC.
• Cool fast and aggressively. The first minutes matter most. Soak them with cold water, pour water over them, put ice or cold packs on the neck, armpits, and groin, and fan hard. If you have a tub or tote, cold-water immersion is best.
• Do NOT give fluids to anyone who is confused, drowsy, or unconscious — they can choke.
• Keep cooling until EMS arrives and takes over. Don't stop because they "seem better."

The heat index — why "it's only 90" lies to you

Sweating is how your body cools. When the humidity is high, sweat can't evaporate, so you get almost none of that cooling — the same air temperature is far more dangerous. The heat index combines temperature and humidity into what it actually "feels like" to your body. Check it, not just the thermometer:

• Caution (80–90°F): fatigue with prolonged exposure and activity.
• Extreme Caution (90–103°F): heat cramps and heat exhaustion likely with exertion.
• Danger (103–124°F): heat exhaustion likely; heat stroke likely with prolonged exposure.
• Extreme Danger (125°F+): heat stroke is imminent.

Two things the app won't tell you: working in full sun adds up to about 15°F to the heat index, and FR clothing and PPE add even more. Treat the "feels like" as higher than the forecast on any exposed pad.

Prevention — Water. Rest. Shade.

• Water — small and often. About one cup (8 oz) every 15–20 minutes, all day. Don't wait until you're thirsty — thirst lags behind dehydration. Chugging a bottle at lunch doesn't make up for a dry morning.
• Rest in the cool. Take breaks in shade or an AC cab, and take them more often as the heat index climbs.
• Acclimatize the new guys. Anyone new, or back from days off, is at the highest risk the first few days. Most heat deaths happen in someone's first days working in the heat. Ease them in and build up over a week or two.
• Dress for it where PPE allows. Light-colored, loose, breathable layers; peel the FR off during breaks in the shade.
• Watch the night before. Alcohol, energy drinks, and heavy caffeine dehydrate you before the shift even starts.
• Buddy system. You often can't spot heat illness in yourself. Check on each other and call it early.

Discussion questions for the crew

1. What are the signs that tell heat exhaustion apart from heat stroke — and which one is the 911 call?
2. Where's the nearest shade or AC on the pads we're working this week?
3. How much water should each of us be drinking per hour on a hot day — and are we actually doing it?
4. Who's newest to the crew or just back from time off? What are we doing to ease them into the heat?
5. If a coworker collapsed in the heat right now, what's our step-by-step response?

Bottom line

Heat illness is preventable, and the early signs are easy to miss when you're heads-down and behind schedule. Drink before you're thirsty, take the breaks, and watch each other. If someone's acting confused in the heat, don't wait — start cooling and call 911. No load is worth a life.