Working in the heat

[Chris Head]

Be careful! I've worked outside all my life and pretty much work in anything, extremes of temperature can be a hazard.

Despite drinking 6 litres of water a day it got to me on Tuesday and I didn't even know it until the Headteacher pointed it out, I'd become a little disorientated and un-coordinated. Had I been working up high or using saws I would have been in a dangerous situation. I'm annoyed because I should know better by now.

Chris

[fulcrum]

[quote user="Chris Head"]

Be careful! I've worked outside all my life and pretty much work in anything, extremes of temperature can be a hazard.

Despite drinking 6 litres of water a day it got to me on Tuesday and I didn't even know it until the Headteacher pointed it out, I'd become a little disorientated and un-coordinated. Had I been working up high or using saws I would have been in a dangerous situation. I'm annoyed because I should know better by now.

Chris

[/quote]

Chris

The same happened to me. I've now gone out and purchased a hat. I too should have known better.

[Val_2]

We adopt the spanish way when its really hot and working outside especially on rooves with burning tiles and that is to start really early until noon and then go back later in the afternoon until late evening, works well for the past 32 years.

[Alcazar]

Adopt the England football team approach...........whine about it, and then do a really bad job[:D]

Alcazar

[londoneye]

years ago i lived in Israel for 2 years, and once was hospitalised for dehydration (drip jobbie) - i had no awareness of the seriousness as i didnt even actually feel unwell, a little tired maybe (but who doesnt in this temperature).   ~When it suddenly does hit you, and your legs give way and you pass out, then its not nice!!    Trouble is i dont actually get thirsty (and surely i am not only one?), so family i worked for put alarm clock in field and set it every hour and made me stop and drink - worked a treat.    Seriously though, it really doesnt take very long at all to get to hospitalisation stage, and its unpleasant and not worth it.

As per other responses, we have been starting early - stopping and continuing early evening through to 10.00 ish (if we can find work which is sufficiently non-intrusive to neighbours).   Cuts down on valuable wine-drinking time i must confess, but then we came here to work, so there you go.

[powerdesal]

Just thought I would share this with you, its now 44 deg C in the shade at 1400 hrs - but not in France !!!

[Chris Head]

Some good stuff there, I'n not quite acclimatised yet, I don't wear hats, I hate them. Most of the day is free sweating so I also take a Diaorrolyte sachet to replace lost minerals.

Like I say I'm annoyed with myself, I don't expect to get more than one chance doing what I do.

Chris

[daryl-et-elaine]

By the time thirst sets in, your body is already suffering 10% dehydration.

Upon arising from your slumbers, the first pee of the day will be yellow in colour. From here on in, every time you feel the need to pee it should be as near clear as possible. This can only be achieved through adequate rehydration and limiting activity.

Stripping off clothing actually aggrevates the situation. Whereas loose fitting clothing reduces the amount of fluid lost through perspiration, add to this a head covering and we're well on the way to keeping safe.

If anyone is interested, I do have quite a lengthy handout on the subject from my days educating people how to live and survive in desert environments.

Daryl[B]

[Wendy]

Chris you need to replace the salt you lose when you sweat out those 6 litres of water. Thats what will make you giddy.And a hat is verrry important in the summer.

[Chris Head]

I figgered the diarolyte (sp) would have adequate salt in it, I'll check on that. I measure my water intake, I know that two 1,5l bottles before lunch and two after should keep me safe, often it's more. I never pee when I'm free sweating either! The chainsaw trousers are heavy but one gets used to being perpetually wet. A hat I suppose is sensible but after a few weeks I'm usually fine and acclimatised, like I said I'm annoyed that I got caught and thought of those with less experience who might be jeopordising themselves.

Chris

[fulcrum]

[quote user="Chris Head"]

I figgered the diarolyte (sp) would have adequate salt in it, I'll check on that. I measure my water intake, I know that two 1,5l bottles before lunch and two after should keep me safe, often it's more. I never pee when I'm free sweating either! The chainsaw trousers are heavy but one gets used to being perpetually wet. A hat I suppose is sensible but after a few weeks I'm usually fine and acclimatised, like I said I'm annoyed that I got caught and thought of those with less experience who might be jeopordising themselves.

Chris

[/quote]

Sounds like you may need to cut down on your water intake. I believe that there are problems that can arise from drinking so much.

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm

[tj]

Water overdose, and death is possible but most unlikely, you would need to consume approx 50 litres.

[Wendy]

Look, I think you just need to apply some self-care here. If its too hot then take a break. And a hat protects your head. Melanoma respects no-one. Keep it on whatever the temp in the summer. Its the UV rays that get you, not the heat. I come from where skin cancer rates are the highest in the world!. And believe it or not, you can get a melanoma on your toe. Cover up and stay alive!.

[powerdesal]

Just a personal view.......I have always found that a floppy, bush hat style in cotton is good for working in the sunshine, it is light but absorbes the sweat and stops it running into your eyes ( it stings like h***).The one I use is the military desert issue type. I saw a 'kepi' style once with built in neck shade, again cotton, which I thought was great.

Hard hats  are a real ba****d in hot climates because they cant obviously absorb even with a built in sweat band.

After all, the Arab dish-dash didn't evolve as a fashion statement but as a loose, lightweight body cover to cope with the climate, particularly in the summer high ambient/ high humidity situations, unfortunately its not practical for a lot of work situations (I,m not sure I would like to wear one whilst chainsawing, a kevlar dish dash is a mind-boggling thought!!).

Many of us who have worked in the Middle East for any length of of time look askance at the European idea of frying in the sun for as long as possible, for the same reasons as Wen. We try to stay out of the sun. It is sometimes difficult for aquaintances in Europe to grasp just why we are not as sun-burnt as they are when we live in such a hot climate.

Regards

[Rob Roy]

" It is sometimes difficult for aquaintances in Europe to grasp just why we are not as sun-burnt as they are when we live in such a hot climate. "

And you will look so much better when you are older without the wrinkled and dried up skin from too much sunbathing [:)]- apart from all the health issues mentioned in the above posts.

[zeb]

Yes, we also start the day early - it's been impossible to garden after midday this week, and a hat is a must. Luckily, my OH is working indoors at present in a cool dark stone barn so it hasn't been so much of a problem for him.

On the health issue - our elderly French neighbour died last year from pneumonia related to the severe skin cancer he had suffered from for years. He had worked on the land all his life (and always wore a flat cap or beret), and had never been near a beach, let alone stripped off and sunbathed on one, just worked his land for 50 years in all temperatures.

His cancer was on his neck and face. Towards the end, he lost his nose, an ear and half his cheek and jaw, and his face was heavily bandaged most of the time. On several occasions, we had to help get him up when he'd fallen (difficult as he was a huge, muscular man who was in dispair at the loss of dignity) and we saw him without his bandages.

Makes you think......

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Chris Head"]

I figgered the diarolyte (sp) would have

adequate salt in it, I'll check on that. I measure my water intake, I

know that two 1,5l bottles before lunch and two after should keep me

safe, often it's more. I never pee when I'm free sweating either! The

chainsaw trousers are heavy but one gets used to being perpetually wet.

A hat I suppose is sensible but after a few weeks I'm usually fine and

acclimatised, like I said I'm annoyed that I got caught and thought of

those with less experience who might be jeopordising themselves.

Chris

[/quote]

I'm a big fan of St Yorre mineral water for this purpose - the soluble

mineral content is 4.8 g/l, an appreciable chunk of which is potassium,

which is probably they mineral most likely to require replacement. I've

been told by a medical type to avoid diarolyte (sp - haven't a scooby

myself!) and similar for replacing minerals lost through sweating

rather than through a stomach upset as they can cause severe cramps if

not taken with a big excess of water. I don't know how true that is.

[Val_2]

Re Wrinkling - you only have to look at some of the Parisennes who fry themselves here on the beaches each summer,they look like 90-year olds when they are probably not even 60. I've known two locals die from melanoma,several with skin cancer and we all of us in this household keep covered up.

[ali-cat]

I used to be like a lizard - the first sight of sun & I was out baking in it.  Then 8 years ago I had a malignant melanoma removed from my arm & now never sit or lie in the sun at all  If it's sunny I'm always plastered in factor 30+ & wear long floaty clothes & hats if I even go to the shops in Belfast!!  They do, indeed, keep you cooler than shorts & tee-shrits - & I've come to the conclusion that "pale is beautiful". [:)]

[Rob Roy]

My sister-in-law also had a malignant melanoma removed for the side of her nose, and was given strict instructions not to go out in the sun without a hat. Luckily the scar has faded and is hardly noticable now.

Re. the face and skin cancer - I used to work on a burns and plastics ward and you would not want to go through what some of the face cancer people have to have done. [:(]

So I agree, pale is beautiful.[8-|]