Summertime safety tips: Keeping yourself and employees safe in the heat

With the first day of summer already behind us and warmer weather on the horizon, it’s important to stay hydrated and cool. Use the tips below from the ReMA Safety Team to ensure that when working in the summer at your operation and with your employees, you do so safely or not at all.

General Safety Tips

Before venturing outside in summer, be sure to:

• Regularly check the temperature and forecast as the weather can change rapidly in the summertime. Acclimate where necessary, due to temp changes
• Apply sunscreen to protect your skin. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that everyone uses sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays), SPF 30 or higher, and water resistance.

Preparing Your Operation

According to Jerry Sjogren, ReMA’s Senior Director of Safety, recyclers should take the time to identify locations at their operations where workers can seek shelter from the heat and cool off. He recommends keeping a ready supply of ice, cool water, and even healthy popsicles available to employees.

“If you have a dispatch or scale house on your property, consider handing bottles of water out of the windows as trucks come in,” Sjogren said. “And make sure you’re taking time to distribute water throughout the day, encouraging employees to stay hydrated, and leading by example.”

Protecting Employees

Though staying hydrated is important all year, it’s even more important to do so as the weather heats up. Hydrate by drinking water and removing outer layers if necessary. Remind employees to pay attention to their urine color, the darker the color, the more your body needs fluids.

“Make sure your employees pace themselves in the heat and are having plenty of fluids,” Sjogren said. “When employees are hydrated, they’re better able to pay attention to their work and surroundings.”

In addition to staying hydrated, it’s important for companies to review the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses with their employees. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, rhabdomyolysis, heat syncope, heat cramps, and heat rash.

When any heat symptom is present, promptly provide first aid. Time is of the essence. These conditions can worsen quickly and result in fatalities.

“A heat emergency is like a runaway freight train,” Sjogren explained. “So, reviewing these symptoms with your employees will help them keep a better eye on their co-workers and on their own health and wellbeing. If they see colleagues who need help or if they themselves start to feel unwell, they’re in a better position to step away, take a break, and seek help if necessary.”