While the summer months may be winding down, it is important to keep your employees who work outside safe from the heat. While not every maintenance facility is located in areas with extreme heat, even those in areas that have milder temperatures are exposed to the possibility of issues that are presented by not getting enough water, rest, and shade.
If you have outside workers during the summer months, it is important to have a plan in place that ensures that they are given the opportunity to get relief from the heat. Here are a few ways you can make sure your employees remain healthy and hydrated according to the OSHA Website.
Make sure that your employees remain hydrated. It may be their responsibility to do this but you can educate them and insist on a few things in order to ensure that they follow through. Have employees drink water every few minutes (15 minutes is the best time) in order to stay hydrated. Allow employees to carry water with them or be sure that they have access to fresh water even if there outside job is not near a water source such as a water fountain.
Even though the work has to be done, it will take much longer if you have an employee suffer from heat exhaustion. Allow your employees to take regular breaks so that they can get out of the sun for a few minutes. If they become overheated they need to be able to find a shady spot to get out of the sun even if it is indoors. This may not be the most convenient thing to do but it is important for their safety. Utilizing the right preventive maintenance software, you can not only make your workload easier but you'll have more time to focus on other important things like your employees' well-being. Plan their days so that the work isn't being done at the peak time of the day.
Also Read: Wireless Temperature Sensors with CMMS
Tolerance is important because new employees are not used to the heat if they have not been working outdoors. Also, employees that have been not at the job for more than a week are exposed to less tolerance as well. Keep this in mind when hiring new people or sending out those that have been away.
Sometimes as managers we may get busy and not always think of these things on a regular basis. We may even think that an employee is being lazy or not wanting to work. This is not always the case and it is only natural to sometimes think the worst or get overwhelmed with a project that has to be finished by a certain time. Make sure to implement a plan that includes regular breaks, access to water, and have employees look out for each other if you can't be on the job site.