Working Through a Heat Wave Without Wrecking Yourself

Heat is a day labor problem more than most

The work is outside, it is physical, and a lot of it is paid by the day, which quietly pushes people to keep going when they should sit down.

The people who get hurt are almost never the ones who have done it for years in that climate. They are the ones on their first hot week, going as hard at 2 in the afternoon as they did at 8 in the morning.

What to pack the night before

More water than you think, and something with salt in it. A gallon over a full day in real heat is not extreme.

• Two frozen bottles, which thaw into cold water by noon.
• A light long sleeve shirt, which beats bare arms in direct sun.
• A wide brim or a neck flap for a hard hat.
• Electrolyte packets or a sports drink, not just soda.
• Sunscreen, and a second application in your bag.

Drink before you are thirsty

Thirst shows up after you are already behind. A few good swallows every twenty minutes beats a bottle at lunch.

Skip the energy drinks. A big hit of caffeine on a 98 degree afternoon makes your heart work harder while you are already cooking.

The signs, in yourself and in the guy next to you

Heat exhaustion looks like heavy sweating, a headache, cramps, dizziness, and feeling sick. That is the point to get in the shade, sit down, drink, and tell somebody.

Heat stroke looks different, and it is an emergency. Confusion, slurred words, stumbling, or skin that has gone hot and dry because the sweating stopped. That is a 911 call, right then, while you get them cool.

Watch the other people on the crew. The person in trouble is usually the last one to notice it.

What to ask the employer

Before you accept a hot day, ask whether there is water and shade on site. It is a normal question and the answer tells you a lot about the job.

On site, ask for the heavy work to be front loaded into the morning if it can be. Most employers will say yes, because a crew that is finished at 2 is worth more to them than one that is dragging at 4.

The point where the day is over

If you are dizzy, cramping, or you have stopped sweating, you are done. Not after this last load. Done.

A day of pay is a day of pay. A heat stroke can take your kidneys, and it can take a lot more than one day of work off you.