More than 30,000 people attended Kenny Chesney’s concert at the beach, and the heat caused more than 300 to seek medical help.Stop thinking accidents can’t happen to you.
I write the Safety Watch articles each month, so I’m well aware of all of the hazards out there for green industry professionals. I know what to watch out for and what to avoid, just like I’m sure many of you do.
So, we’re good to go, right? Try again.
I attended the Kenny Chesney concert last weekend at the Flora-Bama, a popular beach spot on the Florida-Alabama line. This all-day event required everyone to stay on the beach with no shade for 10 or more hours, depending on when you arrived. And with a heat index of higher than 100 degrees, it didn’t take long for people to get sick.
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Even though I knew the signs of heat exhaustion, just knowing wasn’t enough to make me immune to the high temps. But as I started to feel the symptoms, I did know what to do: find a cool area (the ocean) and hydrate. (Although many concert goers were hydrating, I don’t think beer was the best solution.)
Many people didn’t pay attention to how they were feeling, and more than 300 people ended up needing medical help.
I say all of that to say this: Accidents can’t always be avoided, whether it’s heat related or caused by another outside force, even if you have safety training. But, if you know ways to help prevent it and what to do if it happens, you can limit the damage.
To make sure you and your crews have the proper safety training, we offer free safety articles you can download and share. Visit our Safety Watch page to read and download them.
