In Florida, heat exhaustion is no joke. Tucker Paving has been in the construction industry in the Sunshine State for over 30 years—offering concrete and asphalt paving, Earthworks, and more–and we know firsthand how brutal Florida’s summer heat and humidity can be. Since the safety of our employees is our first priority on every jobsite, we don’t mess around when it comes to heat exhaustion!

Keeping employees safe from heat exhaustion is no different than keeping them safe from other hazards like falls, struck-by incidents, or a trench collapse. That means you take preventive measures to keep the hazard from affecting employees in the first place and you stay vigilant when looking for indicators of a problem; essentially, you should watch for early warning signs of heat exhaustion as thoroughly as you would check a fall harness for damage or a trench for barricades, guard rails, warning signs, and more.

Preventing Heat Exhaustion

Preventing heat exhaustion from occurring is key. Tips to preventing heat exhaustion include:

  • Ensure workers stay hydrated and have access to electrolytes.
  • Plan the most physically demanding parts of work during the cooler parts of the day.
  • Encourage workers to wear loose-fitting or vented clothes to help with sweat evaporation.
  • Let new workers acclimatize to the heat if possible.

Early Warning Signs of Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion can quickly turn into the medical emergency of heat stroke, so it’s much better to catch it in the early stages than to wait until someone collapses and an ambulance needs to be called!

Heat exhaustion is where the body is having difficulty cooling down, due to hot conditions, the loss of water and/or electrolytes, and other factors. If nothing changes, then a worker experiencing heat exhaustion will likely worsen to heat stroke, which is life-threatening.

Early signs of heat exhaustion include:

  • Muscle cramping or spasms.
  • Heavy sweating.
  • Skin that is cold and clammy to the touch.
  • Headache.
  • Dizziness.
  • Elevated body temperature around 101 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Feeling weak or tired.
  • Feeling thirsty.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Fast heart rate, referred to medically as tachycardia.
  • Fast and weak pulse, also known as a “thready pulse.”
  • Fast, deep breathing of hyperventilation.

Treating Heat Exhaustion

If the symptoms of heat exhaustion are noticed, then swift action should be taken. This includes:

  • Move the person to a cooler or shaded area.
  • Have them loosen or remove excess clothing.
  • Have them slowly sip water or other fluids. 
  • Have them lie down with their legs elevated.
  • Help them cool down by fanning them or applying towels soaked in ice water to their skin.
  • Call emergency services if their condition does not improve.

Tucker Paving has over three decades in the asphalt and concrete paving industry, and safety has always been our primary concern on any worksite. Contact us by calling (863) 299-2262, or use our contact form online, to inquire about your next project!