The warm weather this year has arrived, and summer will soon be upon us.

Excessive heat can place abnormal stress on the body. When the body temperature rises even a few degrees above normal (about 98.6 degrees), unless steps are taken to cool the body down, a person may experience muscle cramps, become weak, disoriented, and/or dangerously ill.

To prevent these heat stress symptoms from occurring while working in the heat, W.B. Guimarin employees:

• Drink an adequate supply of water (5 to 7 oz. every 20 minutes)
• Take periodic breaks in shaded environments to cool the body down
• Use rotating shifts to cycles workers out of the heat
• Take advantage of engineering controls such as industrial fans
• Wear reflective and cool clothing to prevent the body from overheating

Heat stress management is taken very seriously here at W.B. Guimarin. Summer time can be dangerous to workers of all trades if the proper controls are not taken.

For more information on heat stress management, check out the CDC’s website.

Any questions on safety at W.B.G. can be forwarded to our Safety Officer, Jeff Waters, 803.600.6070.