Tips we provide our roofing crew to avoid heat stress

Summer time in Northeast Ohio is magical. The misery of an extended winter is behind us.The snow is gone, and all of our worries are behind us. Or so we thought. Summer brings joy and fun, but also the danger of heat stress or heat stroke.

As roofing professionals, we have been trained in the warning signs of heat stress. Here you will find our roofers guide to avoiding heat stress.

They are:

• Excessive sweating
• Red, flushed skin
• General body weakness
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Nausea/vomiting
• Headache
• Muscle cramps in the hands and feet
• Dark-colored urine

We take this seriously and pay careful attention to our workers and staff to ensure their safety. We do not want our workers ignoring the warning signs in favor of productivity.

We encourage our team to :

• Stay Hydrated. Water is best. Why wait until you’re thirsty. Replenish lost electrolytes.
• Not to come to work after a night out at the club. Heat and hangovers are a recipe for disaster.
• Keep a cool towel handy to cool down the head and neck. An ice chest can be used to store a clean cloth to cool down the worker.
• Wear thin white sleeved shirts from a thrift store to reflect the sun’s rays.
• Start early to get out of the heat of the day
• Tell our team leader if a break is needed to cool down, rather than ignore warning signs of an imminent heat condition.
• Avoid excessive sun exposure on your skin. Stay covered up and use sunscreen.
• Be on the lookout for any signs of skin cancer and get them checked out. 

Summary of key points:

• Each year there are reports of fatalities of notable people due to heat stress or stroke.Korey Stringer was a NFL Vikings player who died at Vikings training camp in 2001. It is wise to pay attention to the symptoms of heat stress and take whatever measures are necessary to avoid tragedy.

Roofing is a good career. We take our workers health and safety very seriously. We take all of the precautions necessary to avoid the dangers of excessive sun exposure.Jobs are scheduled early and we watch out for our friends and family.