Who is at High Risk of Heat Stress Symptoms?
The following types of people are considered to be at high risk of heat stress: • Employees that work strenuously outdoors • Employees that work in a hot environment and/or are required to wear heavy, bulky clothing or personal protective equipment (i.e., Welders, Abatement workers, HazMat workers, Firemen, etc. • Adults over 65 years of age • People who are overweight or obese • People who have high blood pressure • People with heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or have an infection causing a fever • People who are on certain medications or have been drinking alcohol The following are some tips for avoiding heat stress this summer: • Follow work and rest routines which keep you from becoming exhausted in the heat. Alternate heavy work with lighter work, or move from a hot location to a cooler one periodically. If possible, schedule the heavy work for morning or late afternoon when it is cooler outside. Take advantage of scheduled breaks to rest and cool off. • Drink water frequent
