Safety Column
Christopher Wagner National Propane Gas Association Heat Injury Awareness and Prevention
Whether working or playing outdoors the human body is sensitive to changes in temperature and may react differently than you think. It is not always the hottest day of the year that places us at greatest risk; more likely, it is early in the season when you first experience elevated temperatures. As we exit a winter season that has brought some pretty significant and prolonged cold for some, while others in the United States were thrust into record- breaking heat as early as the beginning of March. As massive swings occur, we need to recognize that acclimation is as important, if not more important, than the three main protective measures for heat injury prevention.
Ever wonder why 100 degrees in late August does not feel quite as bad as you remember 100 degrees feeling in late May? It is a result of your body’s acclimation and sensitization to the temperatures in your area. If you try to perform at the same level on the first hot day of the year, your body will not be ready for the challenge. It is much like your first really cold day of the year, feeling much worse than in the middle of winter, which is why northerners struggle when first traveling south and southerners appear to be much more bundled up than when they visit in the north. Give it seven to ten days, and the body normalizes, and it is harder to tell the two apart.
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