Because summer is prime time for roadwork, plenty of folks are on the job no matter how high the thermometer registers.
“We just carry bottles of frozen water, and sometimes I just dump it on me,” Frankie McPherson said as the temperature reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit during an afternoon scorcher in Oakmont. “We use wet, cooling towels, too.”
As a flagger for Youngblood Paving of Wampum, she joined fellow employees in persevering as they worked on milling borough streets including Fourth Avenue and Porte Street, taking plenty of precautions to avoid problems associated with exposure to heat.
In that regard, here are safety tips from the National Weather Service:
• Slow down. Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities until the coolest time of the day. Children, seniors and anyone with health concerns should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.
• Dress for summer. Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing to reflect heat.
• Eat light. Choose easy-to-digest foods such as fruit or salads. If you pack food, put it in a cooler or carry an ice pack. Meats and dairy products can spoil quickly in hot weather.
• Drink plenty of water (not very cold): Focus on non-alcoholic and decaffeinated fluids. Drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you’re on a fluid-restrictive diet or have a problem with fluid retention, consult a physician before increasing consumption of fluids.
• Use air conditioners. Spend time in air-conditioned locations such as malls and libraries if your home isn’t air-conditioned.
• Use portable electric fans. Fans exhaust hot air from rooms or draw in cooler air. Do not direct the flow of portable electric fans toward yourself when room temperatures are hotter than 90 degrees. The dry blowing air will dehydrate you faster, endangering your health.
• Minimize direct exposure to the sun. Sunburn reduces your body’s ability to dissipate heat. Take a cool bath or shower.
• Do not take salt tablets. Only take salt tablets if recommended by a physician.
• Be aware of infants, older, sick or frail people and pets. Never leave children, disabled adults or pets in a car.
For more heat health tips, visit cdc.gov.
