Tips For Working Jobs Landscape In Hot Weather

Introduction

Many landscape jobs require employees to spend most of their time outside. This can be a very enjoyable experience for people who love the outdoors and prefer a jobs that do not keep them stuck inside an office all day. However, during the hot summer months, working in landscape or any other job that requires you to spend long hours outside doing physical labor can be very dangerous and even deadly. Workers can become dehydrated or sunburned and develop heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses. Here are some tips for working landscape jobs in hot weather.

 

Step 1

The first thing you should do while working at your landscape jobs is stay hydrated. This means drinking plenty of fluids not just while you're outside, but before you go to work as well. While doing your landscape work, you will most likely be sweating a lot, which means you will be losing a lot of fluid that needs to be replenished.

However, drinking too much too fast can also make you sick. Don't wait until you feel thirsty or faint to drink up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drinking two to four cups of fluid every hour if you are doing hard work outdoors. Some experts say you should continually sip water throughout the day, stopping to take a few drinks every fifteen minutes. 

Water is the best thing to drink when you are working outdoors in the heat. If you do not like the taste of it, you can always add a sugar free drink mix powder to give it some flavor. Avoid using alcohol, beverages with sugar and carbonated sodas as ways to rehydrate yourself.

 

Step 2

It is important to pace yourself while working at your landscape jobs. You want to do a good job and finish as quickly as possible, but if working too hard makes you ill, you won't be able to work at all. Take breaks or rest for a short period in between tasks. If you start to feel as if the temperature is too much, sit down in the shade for a little while. It is also a good idea to monitor your co-workers. If they are beginning to look or act strangely, have them rest too.

 

Step 3

The next thing to consider when working at your landscape jobs is what you are going to wear. Loose, light-weight clothing is ideal because it allows your body to breathe. Also, you will want to protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays with long pants and long sleeves. Always be sure that you are comfortable in your clothing. A hat can also help protect you from the sun.

 

 

Step 4

You may not control when you can work at your landscape jobs, but if you can, try to work mostly during the mornings and evenings. The sun is at its brightest and the temperature is hottest between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day. If you can start your landscape projects early or finish them later in the day, you may be saving your life.

 

Step 5

Wear sunscreen. Not only will you need to worry about getting too hot, but you also want to prevent yourself from becoming sunburned. Too much exposure to the sun's rays has been known to cause skin cancer. You can protect yourself by wearing sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher. You may also want to invest in a waterproof product. However, if you are sweating while you work, it's best to reapply the product as necessary, even if it claims to be waterproof.

 

Tips

When working at landscape jobs or any jobs that require you to spend long periods of time outdoors, the best thing you can do is exercise caution and common sense. If something does not feel right, whether it is with you or a co-worker, stop what you are doing and remedy the situation. If you feel like you are going to pass out or you feel weak or confused, call an ambulance immediately.

 

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