Beat the heat

Ask a garden center retailer about summer stress and he or she will probably tell you how high temperatures and humidity affect certain plants, and the importance of proper watering to avoid losing stock to the dumpster. But it’s not only the plants that are in danger in the summer heat. Heat illness is a very serious human health risk.
 

Why should I be concerned?

What is heat illness? Heat illness is the body’s reaction to extreme heat. As your body temperature rises, you have a natural ability to cool yourself by sending blood to the skin and sweating. As sweat evaporates, it cools your skin and your blood. If the body can’t cool down, you can suffer from heat illness. This can be much more severe than most people realize. In fact, heat illness causes more deaths than any other weather-related condition. That’s right — more than tornadoes, floods, lightning, or hypothermia.

If you and your staff are working through a hot and stressful summer, you need to take preventive measures, monitor for signs of stress or disease and be prepared to treat any symptoms that occur. The same is true of your staff. Everyone needs to understand the factors contributing to heat illness and take preventive measures, watch for symptoms, and quickly administer first aid to treat affected staff members. Share this information with them.

Let’s take a look at the contributing factors, symptoms, treatment and prevention of heat illness.
 

When does heat illness occur?

There are many factors that are favorable to heat stress — some are environmental and others are personal. Recognizing these environmental conditions will warn you to prepare for heat illness:

• High temperatures and high humidity
• Radiant heat from the sun or a hot work environment
• Limited air movement

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Other factors are more dependent on the person and may increase your likelihood of suffering from heat illness:

• Your overall condition and exertion level
• Your level of hydration: good hydration is critical, especially if the weather is hot and dry
• The medicine you’re taking: Some medicines decrease your ability to work in the heat and sun; if you are taking prescription medicines check with your doctor to see if they affect your ability to work
• If you’re used to being in the sun: if you’re not used to working in the heat, you might have a stronger reaction

Symptoms to watch out for

Heat exhaustion is characterized by heavy sweating, moist, clammy skin, normal body temperature and sometimes headaches, nausea or dizziness, and muscle cramps. It’s important to know heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke if it is not treated.

Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness and is often preceded by heat exhaustion. Other symptoms are hot, dry skin, high body temperature, confusion and fainting.
 

Keys to prevention

While there are differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, one thing remains the same: prevention is easier than treatment. Anyone working in a hot environment can fall victim to heat illness. It’s better to be safe than sorry — don’t underestimate your environment! If you know your staff will be working in high temperatures, to reduce their risk of heat illness, make sure they:

• Acclimate to conditions and build up to working in extreme temperatures.
• Drink water or sports drinks before and during work. If they wait until they're thirsty to drink, they're already dehydrated.
• Wear light-colored and loose fitting clothing that has good moisture wicking properties, like cotton or some of the new dry-tech materials. Also suggest they wear a broad-brimmed hat when possible to provide shade and keep their heads cooler.
• Wear sunscreen to not only prevent sunburn but to lower skin temperature.
• If possible, reduce physical demands, or schedule the hardest work for the coolest part of the day.
• On hot days, allow for staff to take more breaks and rest in the shade to give the body a chance to cool down.
• Reduce alcohol and caffeinated drinks, as they both increase dehydration. Obviously, they are not drinking alcohol at work but drinking alcohol the night before work can increase dehydration.

Treating heat illness

Remind staff that they are the best judge of their own physical condition. You should pay attention to your body. If you recognize any of the warning signs of heat exhaustion, find some shade, rest and get something to drink. Don’t wait. If you have heat stroke, you may become confused and unable to monitor yourself. Everyone on staff should be able recognize the symptoms of heat stroke and keep an eye on fellow employees.

Remember, heat stroke can be preceded by the symptoms of heat exhaustion. If someone has any of the symptoms of heat exhaustion, they should be watched closely. Heat stroke is a very serious health risk and 20 percent of heat stroke victims die. You must act quickly to help a victim of heat stroke reduce their core body temperature.

First, move them out of the sun and to a cooler place. Air conditioning is best, but you may have to settle for some shade or even try to create some shade.

Spray them down with cool water or lay damp sheets across them. Moving air will evaporate the water and cool their surface temperature. Use a fan, or fan them with a newspaper or towel.

Get them to drink cool water or a sports drink like Gatorade. But don’t give them too much; about a half cup every 15 minutes is the right amount.

Don’t hesitate to call 911 for a heat stroke victim if their body temperature is over 102. You may not have a thermometer on hand at all times, so watch for these other signals also:

• fainting
• confusion — heat stroke affects brain function and they may become confused or exhibit bizarre behavior
• convulsions or seizure

If their condition does not improve, their life may be at risk.

“Summertime, and the living is easy”…or so the old Gershwin song from "Porgy and Bess" goes, but if you’re a garden center retailer, living ain’t easy in the summer time. It’s time to be your most diligent and watchful… that goes for your plants and your staff.

Mickey is the founder of McCord Golf Services and Safety, providing safety training for golf course superintendents and turf maintenance crews.