Water You Waiting For?
Water You Waiting For? Proper Hydration Can Curtail Summer Losses and Keep Employees Safe.
Claims involving dehydration and heat exhaustion can be costly—Connecticut municipalities experienced over $150 million in related medical expense losses alone over the past five years.
Despite their severe symptoms, heat-related illnesses, such as dehydration and heat exhaustion, can be easily avoided through early identification and prompt treatment. Understanding the early warning signs of these conditions is crucial as they can be quite severe if left untreated. If an employee loses consciousness, call 911 immediately.
The most common early warning signs include:
- Muscle cramps
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Impaired memory and concentration
Additional warning signs may also include:
- Rapid pulse
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Noticeably low blood pressure
If symptoms are minor and quickly identified, the individual should take fluids to rehydrate as soon as possible. Drinking small sips for approximately 2-4 hours will help avoid exacerbating symptoms. Resting in the shade or indoors until symptoms subside is also a good idea.
Public entities can be at higher risk; however, increasing awareness across your workforce will avoid incidents and reduce costly losses.
Are you confident that your employees know how to identify and treat dehydration and heat exhaustion? Not sure? Share this helpful information to help keep them informed and healthy.
Check out CIRMA’s Beat the Heat article to learn how to identify heat-related illnesses.
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