Water, Hydration, and Workplace Safety

The importance of hydration cannot be overstated. Water makes up a full 60% of the human body, and without it, we cannot function properly. Water keeps us at optimal performance levels by regulating our core body temperature, carrying key nutrients to vital organs, and flushing internal toxins through sweat. We simply cannot survive without it, especially when we’re working outside. There are many elements to working outside that businesses must adhere to the health and safety regulations to keep their employees safe. However, even if your business follows all of the health and safety advice it is given, but doesn’t encourage the hydration of their employees, this could cause a health risk.

Drink Water, Keep Moving.

Whether walking to your car, carrying stuff around the office, working on the factory floor, or working as a ventilation contractor, your body is using energy and your body is getting fatigued.

Water helps combat this fatigue at a microscopic level. Your cells need to maintain an adequate amount of fluids or they don’t work as well, and your body’s overall performance suffers. During heavy exercise, drink lots of fluid at regular intervals to replace fluids lost by sweating.

Construction workers, factory workers, and any kind of laborer must take extra care to keep hydrated when working as their bodies are performing strenuous work, they are using up the energy stored in their cells. This can lead to dehydration, which in turn reduces the amount of blood in your body and forces your heart to pump harder to deliver oxygen-bearing cells to your muscles. That is why you feel so awful when you’re dehydrated. Your body is working harder just to keep up, while also failing and breaking down. Hydration is what can keep you going.

Your body is always working to maintain a balance and sustain its core temperature. in extremely hot or extremely frigid conditions. Not only do extreme temperatures take a toll on the body, but they also make workers way more susceptible to becoming dehydrated.

Symptoms of a Hydration Problem:

• Excessive perspiration
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Eyesight Failure
• Muscle cramps
• Fatigue
• Hot, dry skin
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abnormal urine color

To avoid dehydration, you should drink water about every 15 – 20 minutes or before you are thirsty. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine and that are high in sugars. Also, for those that like to throw one back, keep your alcohol intake to a minimum because alcohol can inhibit hydration. Some workplaces might even require that employees complete regular alcohol drug tests to ensure that workers are not intoxicated while working. Want to learn more about alcohol drug tests?

Visit our blog for more workplace safety tips and make sure you and your team stay safe through the summer.