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AN INCONVIENIENT TRUTH Heat exhaustion more of a threat than global warming Safety article by Harold Hough Feb/March 2007 Forget global warming – the biggest warming threat is heat exhaustion. Every year, thousands of Americans either suffer from a heat stroke or heat exhaustion. And once you suffer from it, the chances are much greater that you will suffer from it again. Summer is only a few months away and it's important to realize that heat exhaustion is not something to take lightly. Not only can it harm the worker, heat exhaustion leads to lower productivity and can cause accidents caused by disorientation. Therefore, it's critical for mine management and individual workers to know the problems of heat exhaustion, the symptoms, and ways to avoid it. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body's cooling system can't get rid of the heat fast enough. This is probably due to the fact that the body has sent so much of its blood flow to the brain. This can result in dizziness, confusion, nausea, and headaches. Generally the reason the body suffers from heat exhaustion isn't because it can't take the heat, but because it has run out of coolant. The body needs water to produce the sweat needed to keep us cool. When the water runs out, the body begins to overheat and organs break down. If that isn't treated, death can occur. Since water is the coolant for the human cooling system, the best answer to fighting the heat is to drink plenty of water. Experts recommend plain water or sports drinks like Gatorade. They note that drinks with alcohol or caffeine like many soft drinks or ice tea actually increase urine flow and cut down on the amount of water available for sweating. They also recommend staying away from sports drinks with too much sugar because they slow water movement to the bloodstream. It's also important to replace many of the electrolytes that are also lost in sweating. In the past, miners, who sweated profusely and drank large quantities of water, would experience muscular spasms called Aminer's cramps.@ These were caused when the body had enough water, but still lacked the electrolytes. Sports drinks will replace some of these electrolytes. If you know that you will be spending a lot of time outside, experts also recommend that you begin drinking water 24 hours before then so the water is available in the system. This is important, because by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Some people who work outdoors freeze 1-liter plastic bottles of water and take them to the work site. The slowly melting water keeps one from drinking it too quickly while the additional cold helps lower the body temperature. Despite the best efforts, heat exhaustion and heat stroke can still happen. The first signs of heat exhaustion are usually a slight irritability, slowed reaction times, upset stomach, dizziness, weakness, a rise in temperature, and a pale or flushed complexion. Although the problem is relatively minor at this time, this person can be a danger to themselves and others especially around heavy equipment. They should stop their activity, find a cool area and drink some water. Don't let them do the macho thing and keep on working. If something isn't done, the symptoms become more noticeable and include: fatigue, faintness, profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, headaches, lack of coordination, inability to think clearly, pale skin, and rapid, shallow breathing. If these occur, the person needs to go to a cool place drink water, sports drink, or juice (don't let the nausea stop them from taking fluids), lower their head to improve circulation, and get medical attention. WHAT MINE MANAGERS CAN DO TO REDUCE HEAT EXHAUSTION PROBLEMS Mining operations should think now about how to reduce heat exhaustion problems during the summer. Here are some actions a mining operation can take. MAKE ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF WATER AVAILABLE. You don't rely on your workers to bring gas detectors or breathing apparatus from home, so why do you rely upon them to bring water? Provide it for them. And don't install water fountains where a miner can get a swallow or two of water because that won't stop dehydration or heat exhaustion. Bottled water or a fountain with large disposable cups is much better. Better yet, give a large insulated cup with your company logo on it to every worker. BEWARE OF PRIMARY HEAT SOURCES. In open pit mines, the sun, machines, dryers and kilns can push up the temperature of the surrounding area and threaten miners. But there are even threats away from machines. Open pits mines and rock walls can concentrate the sun and heat in areas and pose an invisible danger to miners. In underground mines, wallrock, which is the rock immediately adjoining mineral deposits, is the primary source of heat in underground mines. These rocks may be as hot as 120 to 130 degrees and heat up the air as the heat flows from the rock. If workers must be outside in the heat of the day, construct shade for them. The less time they spend in the sun, the less time they are stressing their cooling systems and the longer it will run before they overheat. AVOID STRENUOUS WORK IN THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY. In the Southwest, most serious outside work begins at sunrise and ends around noon. The afternoon is dedicated slower paced work. Some companies schedule, equipment maintenance, training sessions, or paperwork in the afternoons. And, since the body can adjust to heat if given a couple of weeks, a mine operator, should give miners a chance to acclimate to hotter conditions before changing their shifts It's important to avoid heat problems, because according to doctors, once you have had a serious heat problem, you are more likely to suffer from it again. Consequently, the more effort you spend to avoid overheating today, the less likely that you will have problems in the future. That will not only make your workers healthier, but the mine safer. | |||
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