There is no doubt about it.
And now is not the best time to test your luck with the sun’s rays.
The sun can be extremely dangerous and pushing yourself to get a job done can result in heat illness or worse, death.
The landscaping industry has no choice but to work outside, but that doesn’t mean owners and employees can’t be smart about beating the heat.
With temperatures creeping into the 90s and 100s, every piece of advice should be taken heavily before stepping outside.
Cintas Corporation released a few pieces of advice about understanding the importance of learning about heat-related illness.
Just recently, PLANET and OSHA have joined the 2013 Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness to help raise awareness and educate those that work in the industry about heat illness.
OSHA reported that five to 10 million workers are exposed to the heat-related illnesses each year.
The Bureau of Labor reported that 4,420 workers alone experienced heat-related illness and 61 died.
There are so many ways to educate your employees about staying hydrated, taking breaks and keeping cool. There’s no excuse for employees to become ill from the heat when there’s so many resources out there, including an app for Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices from OSHA. The app calculates the heat index for your location and provides reminders about how to handle heat illness.
I urge all owners and employees to get this app and be responsible when it comes to the dangers of the sun.
Landscapers can beautify, manipulate and help control Mother Nature all day, but landscapers can’t control everything she produces – including the sun’s rays.
For more safety tips, stay tuned for our July Safety Watch article.
