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Prevention: <br /> Proper training and preventative measures will help avert serious illness and loss of work <br /> productivity. Preventing heat stress is particularly important because one a person suffers from <br /> heat stroke or heat exhaustion, that person may be predisposed to additional heat injuries. To <br /> avoid heat stress, management should take the following steps: <br /> ' 1. Adjust work schedules: <br /> a. Modify work/rest schedules according to monitoring requirements. <br /> b. Mandate work slowdowns as needed. <br /> Rotate personnel; alternate job functions to minimize stress or over exertion at <br /> one task. <br /> ' d. Add additional personnel to work teams. <br /> e. Perform work during cooler hours of the day, if possible, or at night if adequate <br /> lighting can be provided. <br /> ' 2. Provide shelter(air-conditioned, if possible) or shaded areas to protect personnel during <br /> rest periods. <br /> 3. Maintain worker's body fluids at normal levels. This is necessary to ensure that the <br /> cardiovascular system functions adequately. Daily fluid intake must approximately equal <br /> the amount of water lost in sweat, Le., 8 fluid ounces (0.23 liters) of water must be <br /> ingested for approximately every 8 ounces (0.23 kg) of weight lost. The normal thirst <br /> mechanism is not sensitive enough to ensure that enough water will be drunk to replace <br /> 1 lost sweat. When heavy sweating occurs, encourage the worker to drink more. The <br /> following strategies may be useful: <br /> a. Maintain water temperature at 50° to 60°F (100 to 15.60C). <br /> b. Provide small disposal cups that hold about 4 ounces (0.1 liter). <br /> ' <br /> C. Have workers drink 16 ounces (0.5 liters) of fluid (preferably water or dilute <br /> drinks) before beginning work. <br /> d. Urge workers to drink a cup or two every 15 to 20 minutes, or at each monitoring <br /> ' break. A total of 1 to 1.6 gallons (4 to 6 liters) of fluid per day are recommended, <br /> but more may be necessary to maintain body weight. <br /> e. Weigh workers before and after work to determine if fluid replacement is <br /> ' adequate. <br /> 4. Encourage workers to maintain an optimal level of physical fitness: Where indicated, <br /> ' acclimatize workers to site work conditions. <br /> 5. (Provide cooling devices to aid natural body heat exchange during prolonged work or <br /> severe heat exposure. Cooling devices include: <br /> 27 <br />