Hot tips for hot days
At temperatures above 30 degrees, cooling the body through sweat evaporation plays an important role. But "sweat cooling" has its limits; especially in high humidity and when there is no wind blowing, says Irene Kunz, an occupational physician at Suva. "Depending on the severity of physical work, heat cramps, heat exhaustion (sunstroke) or heat stroke can occur in such climatic conditions."
For construction workers who perform hard physical work, too high Temperatures exhausting, sometimes even dangerous. In this case, it is important that employers take protective measures, Kunz emphasizes. "Ideally, the employer will move heavy physical work to the cooler morning hours or provide shading such as awnings." The pace of work must be reduced as the temperature increases. Heat be adjusted. When temperatures exceed 30 degrees, 5 minutes of rest per hour is appropriate. Whether shorts on the Construction site are permitted, the employer decides.
If the effort is too great and the temperature is too high, the following clinical pictures may occur:
Heat cramps
Symptoms: Heat cramps are brief, cramp-like pains that usually occur in muscles that have been strained by physical work.
Treatment: Move to the shade or a cool place, positioning, rest, drink plenty of fluids. Then the discomfort usually recedes quickly.
Heat exhaustion (sunstroke)
Heat exhaustion is due to either water or salt loss. Both lead to a reduction in blood volume.
Symptoms: A high red head accompanied by neck pain, headache or dizziness and sometimes nausea. Typically, the head is very hot, the body feels normal or rather cool.
Treatment: stop work, go to shade or cooler place, rest, put cooling cloths on forehead, drink (no ice cold drinks).
If the treatment does not bring improvement, a visit to the doctor is appropriate.
Heat stroke
The body is no longer able to regulate its temperature and this leads to an increase in body temperature usually above 40°C. This leads to the failure of several organ systems and thus to heat stroke.
Symptoms: headache, slurred speech, dizziness, delusions, seizures, confusion and even coma. When the person is very exhausted, a rapid pulse, low blood pressure and a bluish discoloration of the skin are seen.
Treatment: Immediately move the person to the shade or a cool place. Lay flat on the floor, head and upper body slightly elevated. Cool the head with damp, cool cloths or a cold compress. Call a doctor.
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