Safety in Heat risk level. When it climbs, modify workflows, shorten shifts and delay lifts if needed.
Heat doesn’ t punch a clock— elevated temps and residual surface heat can even turn night shifts into silent stress zones for lift crews.
Don’ t forget that machines feel the heat too. Heat messes with hydraulics while sensors can get flaky. Steel expands, and electronics drift. If you’ re pushing heavy equipment in high-stress conditions, double down on pre-use inspections.
Check everything: fluid levels, hoses, electronics, brakes, boom function. Then check it again. Tighten the reporting loop so even the smallest hiccup— odd noise, sluggish response, hairline crack— gets flagged quickly. And if something feels even a little off, shut it down and speak up immediately.
New Hires Aren’ t Always Heat-Ready
Keep in mind that a new operator from Minnesota might not recognize how hard Florida sun can hit by 10 a. m. That’ s why smart crews use heat acclimatization protocols:
• Gradual exposure lets new crew members ease into full workloads before they have to perform in peak heat.
• Buddy checks pair up workers so they’ re not alone. Partners can spot warning signs that might go unnoticed by the person experiencing them.
• Extra water and shade areas should be easy to reach— don’ t make heat relief a hike.
• Extra eyes mean supervisors and experienced hands are keeping a close watch( on new hires especially) for signs of overheating, fatigue or hesitation.
Also keep an eye on what’ s going on inside the body. Certain medications, like antihistamines, blood pressure pills or antidepressants, can impair the body’ s ability to effectively regulate heat. Underlying conditions like diabetes or heart issues raise the risk, too.
And diet matters more than people think: too much caffeine amps up dehydration, and salty snacks can throw off fluid balance. Energy drinks might give you a short-term jolt, but that boost can come at a cost. Talk to your team about good food choices that make sharp minds, steady hands and lasting energy possible.
Lead Like It Matters
You can spot a site’ s safety culture immediately. If a foreman is drinking plenty of water, pushing breaks and proactively checking on the crew, that’ s the kind of behavior that spreads. But if the lead shrugs off heat safety, don’ t be surprised when others do too.
Lifting and hoisting demands laser focus and confidence on the controls,
and heat stress can chip away at your ability to perform under pressure. Don’ t leave your safety strategy to the next heat wave. Build it and own it now with training and education, technology that fits your worksites and protocols designed for jobs that run hot, high and heavy.
Michelle Marsh is the Senior Vice President of Environmental, Health and Safety( EHS) at AWP Safety, a traffic safety company with over 1 million work zones secured annually.
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