Responding: Heat-Related Emergencies
Sustained high temperatures can be harmful to your employees and detrimental to your business. Heat-related medical emergencies, drought, power outages and wildfires can put your operations at risk.
How can we prevent heat-related medical emergencies?
- Slow down: When possible, avoid strenuous activities. If strenuous activity is unavoidable, try to do it during the coolest part of the day, usually between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Outdoor businesses could consider changing business hours during the summer.
- Work smarter: Take frequent breaks when working outdoors. When working in extreme heat, use the buddy system – partners can keep an eye on each other and assist one another when needed.
- Remain hydrated: Drink plenty of water regularly and often, even if you are not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.
- Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increases metabolic heat.
- Dress for the weather: Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Use sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat if you must be out in the sun.
- Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Electric fans might not cool the air, but they can help sweat evaporate, which cools your body.
What are the types of heat-related emergencies, and how are they treated?
Sunburn
- Symptoms: Redness and pain. In severe cases, swelling of skin, blisters, fever and headaches.
- Treatment: Ointment for mild cases if blisters appear. If blisters break open, apply dry sterile dressing.
Heat Cramps
- Symptoms: Muscular pains and spasms usually involving the abdominal muscles or legs due to heavy exertion. Loss of water from heavy sweating is generally the cause.
Heat cramps are often the first signal that the body is having trouble with heat.
- Treatment: Stop activity and rest in a cool place. Lightly stretch the affected muscle and replenish fluids. Consume a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes.
If using electrolyte replacement fluids, dilute by at least half with water. Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make conditions worse. If nausea occurs, discontinue use.
Heat Exhaustion
- Symptoms: Cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature might be normal or rising.
Typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a warm, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs.
This change results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim's condition will worsen. Body temperature will keep rising and the victim might suffer heat stroke.
- Treatment: Get victim out of sun and into a cooler place. Have him or her lay down and loosen clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths to the body. Place victim in front of a fan or move to an air conditioned room.
If the person is conscious, give cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. If nausea occurs, discontinue use. If vomiting continues, seek immediate medical attention.
Let the victim rest in a comfortable position and watch carefully for changes in his or her condition.
Heat Stroke or Sunstroke
- Symptoms: Hot, red, dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. High body temperature (105°F or higher). If the person was sweating from heavy work or exercise, skin might be wet; otherwise, it will feel dry.
The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so quickly that brain damage and death might result if the body is not cooled quickly.
- Treatment: Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency; any delay in treatment can be fatal. Call 911 or your local emergency number.
Move the victim to a cool environment. Quickly cool the body. Immerse the victim in a cool bath or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signs of breathing problems.
Keep the person lying down and continue cooling the body any way you can. If temperature rises again, repeat process.
If the victim refuses water, is vomiting or there are any changes in the level of consciousness, do not give food or fluids.
How can we work safely during ozone alerts?
- Avoid working outside as much as possible when an ozone alert is declared.
- If you have respiratory problems, such as asthma, be sure to have your medication on hand.
- Encourage carpooling to help alleviate pollution.
How should we respond to a drought?
- Be sure to observe any local government water restrictions.
- Be prepared for a drought ahead of time. Install low-flush toilets, use displacement devices in the toilet tanks and repair dripping faucets.
- Farmers should contact their local Farm Service Agency for disaster assistance information.
