Working in the Heat

[DMiller]

I have read about this don’t recall where. As I recall there are lots of veins in the wrists and hands that allow easy transfer of heat.
I have noticed when I remember to wear nitrile gloves I begin to sweat quickly on warmer days.

One of our associate Operators scratched his hand in a structure known to forever remain wet and mildewed, requested a Tetanus Shot as was old Rusted steel on a railing that got him. IMMEDIATELY a "Gloves On Person" rule went out to everyone In Plant, one Shift Supervisor got mad when I went to the Turbine Building Gloves In Pocket. He stood there telling me Gloves On Person Meant ON THE HANDS, looked at him and explained that very point, 105 in the building that day, I was NOT going to stroke out over his bad Interpretation.

Ten minutes of tirades and threatening me with Discipline the Safety Officer shows up, Gloves in pocket, I waved a hand at him for My boss to peruse. He then committed the Ultimate Sin, Yelled at the Safety office, who then went into the Rule and how the are Required to Be ON YOUR PERSON, Not until Working to be On Your Hands and agreed he was being too far left field. MADE the Supervisor apologize, did not earn me any points. Nevertheless he stayed away from me from then on.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I had to make an emergency visit do to heat exhaustion once upon a time..
They taped ice bags on both wrists, gave me one to hold on my neck and this old hag wound up and laid down a perfect STRIKE in the ol’gonads.!!! I laughed and cried at the same time.. we had everyone in that room laughing so hard they could barely get me feeling better..
5 hrs later I was heading home, feeling like a million bucks..
1 word of warning tho..
To much ice on the front & back of the neck can send u into shock.. so b careful with that..
Oh.. they pumped so much IV JUICE in me, both arms, i couldn’t make it to the b room.. hadta use the plastic bottle SEVERAL TIMES.. how embarrassing..

 

[Birken Vogt]

Sometimes I find when I have been working crouched in the heat, when I stand up I just about pass out and have to grab hold of something to stay upright. That is always my cue to drink a bunch more water, figure the volume is getting low.

Today was a very merciful day, was wearing black clothes because I was disassembling an engine (under cover) but outside it was cloudy so even though 90 degrees, no direct sunlight most of the day. Relative humidity 30% at 96 degrees, we think that is humid here but I know it is nothing to those who live where things stay green.

 

[92U 3406]

If tomorrow is as hot as today I think I'll be free ballin' it in my coveralls.

 

[terex herder]

To much information.

 

[Vetech63]

If tomorrow is as hot as today I think I'll be free ballin' it in my coveralls.

Marbles can't free ball or they fall out your pants leg.

 

[92U 3406]

I've never enjoyed working in the heat. Even 28°C is pushing it.

 

[stinky64]

I actually prefer 28F to 88F would rather be bundled up than sweating my nads off.

 

[Mike L]

Having shade is huge for me. I’ve got a 10’ umbrella and I built a mount for the tip of my crane and also another mount to put umbrella in the trailer hitch. I usually start early but the humidity is way worse until about 9 am. I’ve got a Milwaukee fan to move some air as well. I alternate between water and propel and I drink more than 10-12 bottles a day but still rarely urinate more than a couple times a day. I don’t typically leave the truck running because I tend to feel worse going from one to the other. I’ve tried the cooling towel on my neck and it’s refreshing but it isn’t worth a s*** when crawling around underneath something. I also cuss like a sailor but I can’t tell if It helps or not.

 

[Tony Wells]

Some of the guys at the mulch plant wear a vest that has Velcro attached gel-packs that are kept ready in the office freezer. They don't last that long (couple of hours?), but there are several spares ready at all times. I don't use one, but the guys that do swear by them. We are seeing 105-106 and 85%+ humidity. Heat indices in the 114-115 range. They don't seem too bulky, so might be worth a try. Not sure where they came from. Company provided. Also on hand are Body Armor, Propel, various soft drinks (bad idea IMHO) and lots of water. And of all things, an assortment of energy drinks. It's hard to believe they help with heat issues. But someone is drinking them.

Most of these guys aren't wrenches, but are cooped up in loaders and machines without working AC's. It's so dry the dust is unbearable, and a few of the machines either have missing glass, or all the glass which makes them like a hothouse. I don't see how they stand it. Most are younger, so that has to factor in.

I just stay in the shade as much as possible and hope for a breeze....and when the dust blows my way I still have my Covid mask. Or I just go home and come back in the morning.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I don't like moving around an ez-up so I just carry a wide straw hat and a long sleeve light colored cotton shirt with me. When I have to work in full sun I just put them on. Nothing fancy but keeps the sun off like a mobile tent. I also don't like sunscreen so that is what I use.

 

[DMiller]

Chuckling to myself. Can remember my Great Uncle Ben, the ofhers in that farm family, then as I started as Mechanic, nearly every older male had long sleeves on dead of summer. Women had arms covered as well where either dresses or dress tucked into Bibs had long sleeves. Mechanics wore a ball cap or those old Canvas full narrow brim hats and farmers either in wide brim felt or straw. My Grandfathers both wore Stetson Fedoras all year.

The magic of a little cooler under a tractor umbrella out on a field dragging a disc or cultivator made a world of difference. My old service truck had a 12x12 tarp, creeper, cover, wet or sharp buffer. Had that until day I sold truck.

Edit add. Do not ever remember swapping from long to short sleeve uniforms or coveralls as was mechanic, even at the nuke I wore a Tshirt and a Long Sleeve shirt nearly every day. Still have a few of those work shirts company provided. Use them for work shirts around here.

 

[Birken Vogt]

My grandfather would burn brush piles in summer out in green pastures, wore a jean jacket while working because it insulated him from the heat of the fire. He also wore stetson hats. Wore long sleeve button up shirts the rest of the time working his tractor business, etc., I know the look. Pearl buttons/snaps.

I was a firefighter when younger, of course we wore long sleeve shirts at all times so I just got used to it.

When working for the state of California they wanted you to wear long sleeve cotton shirts under your long sleeve Nomex shirt for burn potential, I always said no thanks to that though. But pants were always double layer at the time, Nomex pants went over regular pants.

Working for the Feds you wore regular pants that were made of Nomex, one layer only pants and shirt sleeves. That was cooler to work in.

A few years back Ca state finally saw the light and went to single layer pants and shirt. I always said, heat exhaustion is more of a concern working a wildfire than burns, you don't work that close to the fire 99% of the time.

 

[JD955SC]

My father always said the way to go from when he was working construction in the 70s was to wear a tight flannel shirt and once you sweated through it it cooled you better through evaporative cooling.

 

[barrelroll]

I don't envy you guys, 80 is brutal hot up here in southeast Alaska.

We are hiring underground mechanics, it's usually in the 50's in the shop year round, live anywhere, fly up for 2 weeks of work and fly home...

 

[Mike L]

50s sounds mighty nice.

 

[crane operator]

50s sounds mighty nice.

I hear they have weather like that in Maine.

 

[crane operator]

They just issued a severe heat warning here from sunday night through thursday. 100-110 every day, may cool down toward next weekend....

 

[Mike L]

You just gotta rub it in, don’t you? Here I am, out melting brain cells and wringing sweat out of my boxers and you can’t help but remind me of the cool refreshing weather they have back home. I hope the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits!

 

[CM1995]

They just issued a severe heat warning here from sunday night through thursday. 100-110 every day, may cool down toward next weekend....

Yeah but it's a wet heat..