Now that we are smack dab in the middle of summer, the temperatures are at their peak. That means we’ve got to take precautions to make sure that workers who work outside remain safe and healthy.

Here are some tips to keeping your employees cool while working on the job site.

Dress Properly

Most workers would probably love to dress lightly when working outside in order to beat the heat. That includes wearing t-shirts and shorts. But such attire simply is not safe to wear. The environment that they are involved in includes rough terrain, heavy equipment, hot asphalt, and all sorts of others components that warrant more protective gear.

That includes wearing steel-toe boots, hard hats, and an ANSI safety vest. While such equipment may be heavy, there are items that can accompany them to keep the body cool, including specialty cooling gear.

Hydrate

It is critical to make sure that enough water is being consumed in order to avoid becoming dehydrated at any point. While most workers start their day with a cup of coffee, it’s important that the majority of the rest of the day’s beverages are water or specialty drinks with electrolytes. There’s a lot of sweating that goes on while working outside under the hot sun, so hydrating oneself with plenty of water is crucial.

Rest as Needed

There’s nothing wrong with taking a break now and then, including outside of designated break times. When workers are feeling the effects of the heat, it’s important to recognize that and take a few minutes to seek shade and rest. It’s very easy to suffer from heatstroke in hot days being outside, so if a little bit of rest can help prevent that then it’s important to take a few minutes off.