Sweating is good – perspiration is our body’s natural evaporative cooling system. In extreme conditions the human body can lose one to two litres of water per hour so it is critical to replace lost fluids regularly.
A new thermal stress control strategy has recently been published on the Iron Safe website. It contains a calculator to help predict how much heat stress your body is experiencing and how much cooling you need to avoid becoming ill. This is particularly important for people doing heavy work outside, or in confined spaces near external heat sources, such as engines. Under these conditions your body can be exposed to temperatures far higher than the ambient air temperature.
Heat stroke is the most serious of all heat illnesses and occurs when the body’s temperature system fails allowing your body temperature to rise to critical levels. Symptoms of heat stroke include loss of consciousness, convulsions, lack of sweating and abnormally high body temperature.
The symptoms and treatment for heat exhaustion are similar to heat stroke but can also include nausea, vertigo, weakness, thirst and giddiness. In all cases every effort should be made to cool the body as quickly as possible. Move the patient to a shady or air conditioned area, remove extra clothing, wet the skin and/or clothing, apply ice packs and use a fan to create air movement around the body. Replacement of fluids should begin immediately. In extreme cases, emergency medical treatment should be sought as quickly as possible.
To reduce the risks of heat stress you should:
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