Protecting Yourself from Summer Hazards
Preventing seasonal injuries and illnesses due to heat, humidity and sun.
- By Randy DeVaul
- Mar 14, 2025
It’s never too early to prepare and plan for events that can disrupt one’s quality of life. Hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, and health issues are just a few of the events that come to mind.
One category of events for which we can plan and prevent such disruptions from occurring is summer hazards. Every year, numerous, repetitive reminders about summer hazards are provided to the point where we might ignore or tire of the warnings. Yet, we still see people overcome by these hazards that, sometimes, alter a person’s quality of life permanently.
These hazards are recognizable, repeatable, and preventable, so taking precautions now in preparing and planning for these hazards makes sense. Knowing and recognizing the hazards leads to our ability to prevent our exposures to them.
Heat
The most common hazard related to summer, regardless of where you live, is heat. Whether you believe the politicized hype that regulators are pushing, or you simply live in a place that gets warmer during the summer months, you can protect yourself and others through proven prevention techniques while also being able to recognize someone experiencing a heat-related event and appropriately responding to it.
When I first moved to Florida from Buffalo, one of my first questions was, “How does everyone cope with the heat?” The response was another question: “Why do you think everything is air conditioned?”
Well, if you work outdoors or in a manufacturing or warehouse site that has no climate control, “air conditioning” takes on a new meaning. We do not have to be subject to a fatal heatstroke or other heat-related illnesses if we take the steps necessary to allow our bodies time to acclimatize or adjust to the heat.
Acclimatization and Prevention. It can take up to five days for a body to adjust to a significant change in temperature. As spring transitions to summer, there are prevention strategies that can help us navigate this hazard.
- Wear lighter-weight and lighter color clothing
- Consider shorter but more frequent breaks in climate-controlled areas
- Drink more water, at least 64 ounces/day, increasing the amount as temperatures climb
- Eat cooler or non-warming food at work – something that doesn’t require microwaving
- Increase fruit intake, such as watermelon, that is higher in water content
- If possible, plan the most physical work during non-peak hours of heat
- Wear cooling sleeves or materials around the neck
- Create airflow with fans or other means – cooling is limited once ambient air exceeds 100° F
- Consider consuming electrolyte fluids – drink one cup fluid to every three-four cups of water
One thing to watch out for is front-line employees performing tasks that require the use of PPE must still wear it. Consider rotating or restricting the amount of time employees must wear the PPE to provide time for cooling. Removing PPE because it’s “hot” creates greater exposures to the known hazards in the area.
Heat hazard. Should someone begin to experience a heat-related event, it’s important to recognize the signs early on.
- Muscle cramps/spasms, caused by depleting electrolytes from the in-use muscles
- Syncope (fainting), from inner core temperature rising
- Heat Exhaustion, caused by depleting electrolytes, excessive sweating, appears pale (shocky)
- Heat Stroke – a true life-threatening emergency – dehydrated, no sweating, red-faced, likely unconscious, internal temperature exceeds 104° F
Heat Stroke requires immediate action:
- Begin immediate cooling with ice packs, spray/hose water over body to increase evaporation
- Continue cooling until EMS arrives
- Once the patient is being cared for/transported, immediately begin an investigation of what happened and identify mitigation/prevention actions to protect others from it
Additional Summer Hazards
Wildlife. During summer months, there are critters and creatures that become more active than other times of the year. Snakes, spiders (brown recluse and black widow, specifically), bees/wasps/hornets, and others that may be looking for cool spaces or water (bear, coyotes/wolves) create their own hazards. Knowing where these lovable creatures hide or appear is the greatest prevention measure.
Water. In a work environment, retention ponds, wastewater plants, and other wet locations can draw wildlife (see above). If creeks, rivers, lakes, or reservoirs are close by, some may choose to “cool off” on break or while working near it or fall in, leading to workplace drowning. Those most susceptible to drowning are maritime workers and those in construction, agriculture, and groundskeeping. Working over, in, and around water requires conducting an effective risk assessment and implementing prevention measures.
Sun. Outside workers must consider the additional exposure to summer sun and be protected from it. Hazards include exposure to ultra-violet rays, which can lead to skin cancer or, at the least, sunburn. Lightweight, light-color fabrics to cover exposed skin, ventilated caps or hats, and use of sunscreen are all protective measures that should be in place.
Other sun-related hazards include the potential of eye diseases, such as cataracts, from ultraviolet exposure in bright sunlight and eye strain from glare. Sunglasses with ultraviolet protection will address the first hazard. Polarized lenses provide help in reducing glare, which improves visibility and safety.
Dehydration. Though dehydration is one part of heat-stress hazards, it merits its own category. Heat and humidity tied with physical labor creates this hazard. Preventive measures primarily is increasing water intake, whether feeling thirst or not. The feeling of thirst means your body is already experiencing a level of dehydration. Ignoring it leads to further complications.
One major dehydrator is alcohol. All the commercials suggest that after a long, hot day of work, partaking of a “cold one” is a person’s right and a person’s need for relaxation and enjoyment. I’m not telling you not to drink. I am stating that alcohol is a significant dehydrator, further removing water from cells and your body that you may have sweated out during work hours. This will lead to major health risks in addition to risks of driving under the influence and waking up to start your next day of work in a more unprepared fashion.
Dehydration can also lead to fatigue, nausea, and mental confusion, slowing response times and increasing the potential for injury, both for the individual and nearby co-workers.
One simple test that is easily monitored by the person is the color of one’s urine. The darker the color, the greater the dehydration level. Drinking at least eight ounces of water every 20 minutes or so helps to maintain proper fluid levels. Since the body is 75% water, staying hydrated keeps body functions and organs working as they should.
Road construction. Whether you work it or just experience it getting to and from work, road construction increases during summer months. Those working it can experience heat stress, dehydration, and, most dangerous, passing vehicles! High-visibility clothing, physical barriers, and vigilance are needed.
Those of us driving through these areas must also be vigilant. Cell phone distractions, running late for work because of the construction, and weather conditions can all play a role in someone being killed.
Summary
We can anticipate these regular-occurring hazards during summer months. There is nothing new or unknown, just reminders to help reduce the risk of someone becoming another preventable work statistic, one that could lead to an altered quality of life or even death.
Knowing the hazards and knowing the prevention measures can keep you safe and help co-workers remain safe when you are able to recognize they may be in trouble.
This article originally appeared in the February/March 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.