Don't Deal With a Personal Injury On Your Own

Young And Inexperienced And In Danger Of Heat Stroke: What You Should Know

18 May 2017 by Joan Bradley

Summer is finally getting underway, but could the extreme heat put you in extreme danger if you work outside? It just might -- especially if you happen to be young and new to the rigors of outdoor work.

Here's what you should know:

1. Heat cramps, where you sweat excessively, develop fatigue, and experience cramps in your legs or stomach, is a serious condition if it isn't treated promptly with fluids, rest, and moving to a cool spot in the shade or in air conditioning. Heat exhaustion is even more serious than heat cramps and victims often experience the same muscle cramps and nausea. If you have heat exhaustion, however, your skin may actually feel cool and moist. You may also feel lightheaded and have a headache. Getting fluids and getting cooled down is critical.

2. Both conditions can lead to heat stroke, a potentially deadly heat-related illness. If your core body temperature exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit, you may lose the ability to sweat as your body fights to retain moisture. This causes your body heat to rise higher still, which can ultimately lead to a rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing. Your severe headache can evolve into confusion and you can quickly become unconscious. Anyone with heat stroke needs immediate medical attention -- otherwise, death or permanent disability can result.

3. Studies indicate that there are essentially two categories of workers who are most at risk for heat-related sickness: young people who are new to the job -- or anyone, regardless of age who hasn't done an outdoor job before and hasn't had time to acclimate to the heat. However, other factors like someone's health, weight, physical fitness, clothing and whether or not they've had a previous heat injury can also affect their susceptibility to heat-related illness.

4. Employers should bear the responsibility for making certain that young employees who don't know how to handle a hot-weather job and those who are still acclimating themselves to the heat are protected from heat-related illness. There are a number of steps they can take to do this:

• In industries where heat-related illnesses are common, like construction, amusement parks, and restaurant kitchens, inexperienced employees should be given a staggered work period for the first few weeks. A part-time schedule can give their bodies time to adjust.
• Water, ice, and emergency cool packs should be kept on hand at all times.
• Every employee should be educated about the dangers and asked to keep their eye on other employees who may be having a heat-related illness
• Employees need to be given adequate breaks from the heat and encouraged to drink plenty of fluids.

If your employer never warned you about the dangers of heat stroke and you suffered a lasting injury as a result, seek the advice of a workers' compensation attorney like Daniels Long & Pinsel for assistance.

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