Heat exposure can lead to exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration. It affects physical well-being and impairs cognitive function, increasing the likelihood of accidents and injuries and leading to fatalities.

Hitachi Rail is equipping everyone with knowledge and skills to stay safe when working in heat, by sharing a suite of tools that enable conversations and learning about:

• Recognising the signs and symptoms of working in heat.
• What the heat hazards and risks are in your workplace.
• What the risk assessment should consider.
• The most effective controls to manage those risks.
• What to do if someone develops a heat-related illness.
• Personal actions and behaviours required to reduce risk and prepare to work in heat.

And by bringing the risk to life with sharing stories, facts and tips:

• It can take up to two weeks for someone to acclimatise or re-acclimatise to working in heat, this includes people who have returned to work after a short period of leave.
• When working in heat, our bodies can lose up to 1.2 litres of fluid per hour through sweating.
• If you pinch your skin and it doesn’t spring back into shape quickly, that can be an indication of dehydration.
• Thirst doesn’t necessarily indicate dehydration; it is always best to hydrate continuously to prevent it.
• Some lesser-known symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration include muscle cramps and blurred vision.

With climate change heightening the risks in the workplace, how are you ensuring your people are equipped to stay safe and well when working in heat?