The document provides tips for workers to prevent heat stress such as drinking water, taking breaks in cool areas, monitoring urine color, and reporting any issues to supervisors. It describes symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke and emphasizes that heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment and cooling of the body. Risk factors for heat stress are discussed including age, weight, fitness level, and recent illness; responsibilities of workers and supervisors are also outlined.

1. TIPS TO FIGHT HEAT
STRESS
Start drinking water
(before you start work).
Drink water
(As much as you need).
Check your Urine color
(note the urine color).
Ensure adequate ventilation.
Rotate work
(from hot to cool areas).
Report to your Supervisor or
the Nurse at first sign of
any problem.
Keep an eye on your work
mates.
The Color of Urine Tells You How
Dehydrated You Are!
Heat Stress Campaign – Day - 6MUTHURV-

2.  Heat cramps affect muscles used while working,
such as those in the arms, legs, and abdomen.
Cramps may occur after work, while you’re
resting. They signal that the body has sweated
too much salt.
 Heat exhaustion may bring feelings of
exhaustion, nausea, dizziness, pale clammy skin,
quick pulse, and low blood pressure. It’s a
warning that the mechanism that controls the
body’s heat is seriously overtaxed. Heat stroke
may follow if heat exhaustion is not treated.
 Heat stroke is serious and can be fatal. The
body’s heat control mechanism shuts down.
Perspiration stops and the body temperature
rises. The heart pounds and the skin becomes
flushed and hot. It’s a medical emergency. Get
treatment immediately.
Working in an excessively hot environment can be
difficult … even fatal. Heat creates many safety
problems and illnesses, including heat cramps, heat
exhaustion, and heat stroke. These illnesses are
called hyperthermia.
Heat can also cause you to become inattentive,
short-tempered, dizzy, and slow, leading you to
work in an unsafe manner. Add humidity and the
effects are compounded. Watch for these warning
signs:
To reduce your risk of heat illness:
 Gradually adapt to working in the heat. If the weather suddenly turns
hot or you’re transferred to a hot environment, take it easy until you
are acclimatized.
 Drink water often. The body loses water through perspiration, so you
need to replenish it. Don’t drink alcoholic or caffeinated beverages;
they cause you to lose even more water and salt.
 Take frequent rest breaks. Move to a cooler area or switch to lighter
work periodically.
 Get a physician’s advice before replacing salt. Salt tablets aren’t
recommended. Lightly salted food or mineral drinks may be better.
 Dress lightly, in layers so that you can subtract or add clothing as the
temperature changes. Be sure to shade your skin from the sun.
Heat Stress Avoid It
Heat Stress Campaign – Day - 5
MUTHURV

3. MUTHURV
WHAT PERSONAL FACTORS ARE USED TO ASSESS HEAT STRESS RISK?
It is difficult to predict just who will be affected by heat stress and when, because individual susceptibility
varies. There are, however, certain physical conditions that can reduce the body’s natural ability to
withstand high temperatures:
Weight - Workers who are overweight are less efficient at losing heat.
Poor physical condition - Being physically fit aids your ability to cope with the increased demands that
heat places on your body.
Previous heat illnesses - Workers are more sensitive to heat if they have experienced a previous heat-
related illness.
Age - As the body ages, its sweat glands become less
efficient. Workers over the age of 40 may therefore
have trouble with hot environments. Acclimatization
to the heat and physical fitness can offset some age-
related problems.
Heart disease or high blood pressure - In order to
pump blood to the skin and cool the body, the heart
rate increases. This can cause stress on the heart.
Recent illness - Workers with recent illnesses
involving diarrhea, vomiting, or fever have an
increased risk of dehydration and heat stress because
their bodies have lost salt and water.
Medication - Certain drugs may cause heat
intolerance by reducing sweating or increasing
urination. People who work in a hot environment
should consult their physician or pharmacist before
taking medications.
Lack of acclimatization - When exposed to heat for a
few days, the body will adapt and become more
efficient in dealing with raised environmental
temperatures. This process is called acclimatization.
Acclimatization usually takes 6 to 7 days. Benefits
include
•lower pulse rate and more stable blood pressure
•more efficient sweating (causing better evaporative
cooling)
•improved ability to maintain normal body temperatures.
Acclimatization may be lost in as little as three days
away from work. People returning to work after a
holiday or long weekend—and their supervisors—
should understand this. Workers should be allowed
to gradually re-acclimatize to work conditions.
Heat Stress Campaign – Day - 4

4. MUTHURV
WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF
WORKPLACE PARTIES REGARDING HEAT
STRESS?
Heat stress is always a threat in
the construction industry here in
Saudi Arabia during summer
season. And without the support
from management and
cooperation from workers, this
threat can lead to untoward
incident. Let’s work together to
beat the heat!
WORKERS
•Follow instructions and training for controlling heat stress.
•Be alert to symptoms in yourself and others.
•Avoid consumption of alcohol, illegal drugs, and excessive
caffeine.
•Find out whether any prescription medications you’re
required to take can increase heat stress.
•Get adequate rest and sleep.
•Drink small amounts of water regularly to maintain fluid
levels and avoid
dehydration.
SUPERVISORS
•The supervisor should visually monitor personnel to note for signs of heat stress.
•Instruct workers to observe for symptoms of heat stress and methods on how to control it.
Adjust work practices as necessary when workers complain of heat stress.
•Make controlling exposures through engineering controls the primary means of control wherever possible.
•Oversee heat stress training and acclimatization for new workers and for workers who have been off the job for a
while.
•Provide worker education and training, including periodic toolbox talks on heat stress during hot weather or during
work in hot environments.
•Monitor the workplace to determine when hot conditions arise.
•Determine whether workers are drinking enough water.
•Determine a proper work/rest regime for workers.
Heat Stress Campaign – Day - 3

5. MUTHURV
When work is performed in a hot
environment, blood is sent to the skin to
cool the body, primarily through
evaporation of sweat. As sweating
continues, often at a rate of more than 1
litre per hour, the body loses lots of fluid.
This can compromise heart and circulatory
function and the ability to work. If fluids
are not replaced in time, the temperature-
regulating process begins to break down,
work becomes impossible, and the
possibility of life-threatening heat stroke
increases dramatically.
Heat Stress Campaign
– Day - 2
THE HEAT IS ON!
Introduction
Many people all over the world over suffer from heat related illness during summer. Especially in Middle
East where summer temperatures are usually in the range of 45 to 55 C, it is imperative for all of us to
understand the heat stress and take necessary preventive steps to mitigate the impact.
Mechanism of Body Fluid Loss
Following 6 Factors Can Lead To Heat Stress
•Temperature
•Humidity
•Movement of air
•Radiant temperature of surroundings
•Amount and type of clothing
•Physical activity
Increase your fluid intake
Regardless of your activity level or thirst, during high exertion periods in summer,
drink 2- 4 glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.

6. MUTHURV
HEAT STRESS
WHAT IS IT AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU?
Heat Stress Campaign – Day - 1
Heat Stress Treatments
Heat rash
Heat rash—also known as prickly heat—is the most common problem in hot work environments. Symptoms include
red blotches and extreme itchiness in areas persistently damp with sweat prickling sensation on the skin where
sweating occurs.
Treatment—cool environment, cool shower, thorough drying. In most cases, heat rashes disappear a few days after
heat exposure ceases. If the skin is not cleaned frequently enough the rash may become infected.
Heat cramps
Under extreme conditions, working for several hours, the body may lose salt through excessive sweating. Heat
cramps can result. These are spasms in larger muscles—usually back, leg, and arm. Cramping creates hard painful
lumps within the muscles.
Treatment—stretch and massage muscles; replace salt by drinking commercially available carbohydrate/electrolyte
replacement fluids.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body can no longer keep blood flowing to supply vital organs and at the same time
send blood to the skin to reduce body temperature. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include: Weakness,
Difficulty continuing work, Headache, Breathlessness, Nausea or vomiting, feeling faint or actually fainting.
Treatment—heat exhaustion casualties respond quickly to prompt first aid. If not treated promptly, however, heat
exhaustion can lead to heat stroke—a medical emergency. Call Emergency Response Team.
Help the casualty to cool off by: Resting in a cool place; drinking cool water; removing unnecessary clothing;
loosening clothing; showering or sponging with cool water. It takes 30 minutes at least to cool the body down once a
worker becomes overheated and suffers heat exhaustion.
Heat stroke
Heat stroke occurs when the body can no longer cool itself and body temperature rises to critical levels.
WARNING: Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention. The primary signs and symptoms of heat stroke are:
Confusion, Irrational behavior, Loss of consciousness, Convulsions, Lack of sweating, Hot dry skin, Abnormally high
body temperature—for example, 41°C.
Heat Stress Treatments
Treatment —For any worker showing signs or symptoms of heat stroke, Call Emergency Response Team; Provide
immediate, aggressive, general cooling; Immerse casualty in tub of cool water or place in cool shower or spray with
cool water from a hose; Wrap casualty in cool; wet sheets and fan rapidly. Transport casualty to hospital. Do not give
anything by mouth to an unconscious casualty.