SAVAGE BEATS THE 

HEAT TOOLKIT

for Business and Safety Leaders

Contents

(ctrl + click each tool to be directed to the respective page)

Tool #1: Savage ‘Beat the Heat’ Logo............................................................................2

Tool #2: ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ Motto........................................................................3

Tool #3: ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ Infographic ..............................................................4

Tool #4: Heat Stress Prevention Article .......................................................................5

Tool #5: Written Heat Illness Prevention Plan Template...........................................9

Tool #6: Heat Stress Prevention and Symptoms Cards............................................10

Tool #7: Safety Moment: Heat Stress Prevention PowerPoint................................12

Tool #8: Savage Beats the Heat Week Schedule .......................................................13

Tool #9: Leadership Kickoff Video Script....................................................................15

Tool #10: Certification of Participation ......................................................................16

Tool #11: Hydration Facts and Tips.............................................................................17

Tool #12: Work/Rest Schedule.....................................................................................18

Tool #13: Acclimatization Safety Moment Presentation..........................................19
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Tool #1: Savage ‘Beat the Heat’ Logo

The proposed logo will be on all tools relating to Savage’s Heat Stress and Prevention Program. 

These will also be made into stickers to use on Team Member (employee) lockers, hard hats, water 

bottles, etc. The goal is to provide a memorable image behind our company-wide efforts to protect 

Team Members from heat illnesses.
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Tool #2: ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ Motto

The motto ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ will be on all tools dealing with Savage’s Heat Stress and 

Prevention Program. This motto will also be the name of the company’s heat illness prevention 

campaign week. The goal of this motto is to be a catchy and memorable catchphrase that will assist 

in unifying our company in our combined efforts to beat the heat.
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Tool #3: ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ Infographic

The following infographic will be available on Savage’s internal website and for print as a 16x24”

laminated poster. The goal for this tool is to raise awareness among frontline workers of the 4 main 

ways to prevent heat stress, while also highlighting common signs and symptoms to watch out for.
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Tool #4: Heat Stress Prevention Article

This article will be posted on Savage’s internal website and will be available to all Team Members.

The goal of this article is to help our Team Members remember ways to prevent heat illness at work 

and at home:

Beat the Heat this Summer – no matter where you are!

Savage strives to educate and prepare Team Members for the hazards of heat 

stress and heat-related illnesses that can occur in hot outdoor and indoor 

environments. 

Heat Prevention at Work and at Home

With summer here, the following information and prevention tools can be used in 

both the workplace and home environment to prevent heat-related illnesses. 

Activities at home with the potential for heat stress are swimming outdoors, 

working in the yard, hiking, sitting in a car, etc. Be aware of yours and others’ 

response to heat as you participate in these types of activities. Children, older 

adults, pregnant women, or those with chronic medical conditions are more 

vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. Drink plenty of fluids and stay in cool areas as 

much as possible from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. If signs of heat stress occur, apply the 

first aid techniques which will be discussed later in this article. 

What is heat stress? 

Heat stress is the net heat load to which a person is exposed from the combined

contributions of metabolic heat, environmental factors, and clothing worn which 

results in an increase of heat storage in the body. Essentially, heat stress is the 

burden the body is handling when in hot environments. This burden on the body 

can lead to heat-related illnesses. The human body handles heat through increased 

heart rate, increased blood circulation to skin, and evaporative cooling from 

sweating.

Symptoms and Treatment of Heat-Related Illness

There are two main types of heat-related illnesses – heat exhaustion and heat 

stroke. Heat exhaustion is more common, but not as serious as heat stroke. Heat 

exhaustion can lead to heat stroke if proper treatment is not applied to the affected 

Team Member. Symptoms for both heat exhaustion and heat stroke are shown 

below:
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Symptoms of heat exhaustion Symptoms of heat stroke

Undue fatigue Mental confusion

Muscle Cramps Lose consciousness

Headache Faster and/or deeper breathing

Nauseous Not Sweating

Vomiting Behaving oddly

Pale Skin Hot, red skin

Feel faint Pinpoint pupils

Heat Rash Nausea and/or vomiting

Dark Urine Headache

What plays a role in heat-related illness? 

Heat stress affects every person differently depending on heat stress risk factors. 

Heat stress risk factors are other confounding variables that can affect how the 

body handles heat stress. 

Risk Factors are divided into three categories: 

• Environmental: temperature, relative humidity, air movement, and sun 

exposure (radiant heat)

• Work-related: physical exertion and clothing worn at work

• Personal: age, physical fitness, medical conditions, medications, alcohol and 

drug use, past episodes of heat-related illness, and caffeine consumption

4 Ways to Prevent Heat-Related Illnesses:

Fortunately, there are many tools to prevent heat-related illnesses. The OSHANIOSH Heat Safety Tool App offers data like hourly forecasts, heat index, and 

associated risk levels for your current location. This can help people plan their 

activities throughout the day to avoid the heat at work or home. The four main 

ways to prevent heat-related illnesses are proper water consumption, rest, 

acclimatization and shade. These are all important aspects of helping the body 

cope with excessive heat exposures. 

Proper Water Consumption: Cool water, along with other electrolytecontaining fluids, should be provided to Team Members to drink. Proper hydration 
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is crucial in preventing heat-related illnesses. Team Members should be 

encouraged to drink at least 1 cup (8oz.) of cool water every 15-20 minutes 

even if they are not thirsty. Water and other beverages provided should be cool 

and in a location that is familiar to the Team Members, near their work, easy to 

access, and in sufficient quantity for the duration of the work. 

Rest: The length and frequency of rest breaks should increase as the 

potential for heat stress rises. In general, Team Members should be taking hourly 

breaks when risk levels exceed minimal risk. Breaks should last long enough for 

Team Members to recover from the heat. Some Team Members might be tempted 

to skip breaks but, in hot conditions, skipping breaks is not safe!

Acclimatization: The goal of acclimatization is to carefully increase exposure 

time under hot environmental conditions over 7 to 14 days. This allows the body to 

adjust to the hot conditions, which will result in more efficient evaporative cooling

in the body, a more efficient heart rate recovery and less stress on the heart. A 

good tip is to refrain from scheduling heavy exertion activities during the hottest 

times of day.

Shade: The location of breaks matter! If Team Members rest in a cooler 

location, they will be ready to resume work more quickly because the body’s core 

temperature is able to recover. Taking breaks in cool, shaded or well-ventilated 

areas is best if available. 
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Treatment: Both heat stroke and heat exhaustion are caused by the body’s 

inability to cool down. If heat-related illness symptoms occur, immediately:

• Get medical attention 

• Help the Team Member cool off:

o Move to a cool location

o Remove unnecessary clothing

o Pack ice in groin and armpit areas

o Do not give Team Member fluids to drink if unconscious 

o Spray skin with cool water

o Fan rapidly

• Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until body 

temperature returns to a normal temperature (below 99 °F)

• If breathing or blood circulation stops, administer CPR until emergency 

medical services arrive

Heat-related illness prevention is necessary in order to maintain good short-term 

and long-term health among Team Members. If you have any questions or 

concerns about heat stress prevention, please reach out to your designated SH&E 

professional. For a Heat Illness Prevention Plan template to implement at your site 

click here! Be safe this summer!
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Tool #5: Written Heat Illness Prevention Plan Template

This tool is available on Savage’s internal website for worksites to access and create a site-specific 

plan for heat stress prevention. The goal is to give worksite leaders the freedom to customize a 

standardized program for the needs they see at their site. To access the full template, refer to the 

‘Tool #5: Written Heat Illness Prevention Plan Template’ file in current Zip folder. 
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Tool #6: Heat Stress Prevention and Symptoms Cards

These cards will be available for sites to print and laminate for Team Members to keep on their 

person throughout the day. The goal is to provide Team Members a resource to remind them of 

prevention and treatment techniques for heat illnesses while in the field.

Front:
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Back:
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Tool #7: Safety Moment: Heat Stress Prevention PowerPoint

Team Members and worksite managers meet daily for a brief safety moment. This short PowerPoint 

is a potential tool for worksite managers to use in these meetings. To access the full PowerPoint, 

refer to ‘Tool #7: Safety Moment: Heat Stress Prevention PowerPoint’ file in the current Zip folder. 
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Tool #8: Savage Beats the Heat Week Schedule

This campaign is meant to be a company-wide drive to focus on the tools and resources in this 

toolkit in preventing heat illness for our Team Members. The goal is to get all worksites and Team 

Members involved in various fun/memorable ways seen in the schedule below. Each day will 

highlight one of the 4 prevention techniques and provide resources relating to those techniques. 

Participation certificates will be awarded to each worksite that attends the webinars. Three $100 gift 

cards will be awarded to operations who submit the most pictures of how they are implementing 

heat prevention techniques at their site.

BEAT THE HEAT WEEK – JULY 17TH TO 21ST

July 10th – Announcement on the Savage internal website and emailed to all 

Team Members: Next week (July 17th to 21st) is Savage Beats the Heat Week! 

• Make sure that the printed infographic, cards, swag, etc. are sent to 

sites. 

July 17th – Kick Off:

• Available on internal website: Kickoff video featuring our CEO.

Prevention Focus: Cool Water

• Email to SH&E/Worksite Managers: Hydration Tips and Facts

July 18th

• 30-minute webinar at 12:00

• Available on internal website: Heat Illness Prevention Article

Prevention Focus: Rest

• Email to SH&E/Worksite Managers: Example of work/rest schedule 

and the Safety Moment – Heat Stress Prevention PowerPoint.

July 19th

• 30-minute webinar at 12:00 

Prevention Focus: Acclimatization

• Email to SH&E/ Worksite Managers: Safety Moment – Acclimatization 

and discussion.
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July 20th

• 30-minute webinar at 12:00

Prevention Focus: Shade

• Email to SH&E/ Worksite Managers: Heat Stress Prevention Cards

and OSHA video on shade.

July 21st – Wrap Up: Worksite Participation Certificates and three $100 gift cards 

awarded. 

• Email to SH&E/ Worksite Managers: Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Template is optional to complete. Savage locations at higher risk of 

heat illness should consider adopting a Heat Illness Prevention 

Plan.

July 24 - 28th Website Announcement: Review of Savage Beats the Heat Week, 

winners, pictures posted in the website, etc. 
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Tool #9: Leadership Kickoff Video Script

This script is meant for the CEO or other business executive to kick off the company’s beat the heat 

week in July (see tool #8). The goal is to highlight the importance of this campaign and keeping Team 

Members safe from heat illnesses by showing executive leadership support and encouragement.

SCRIPT TEMPLATE – “BEAT THE HEAT WEEK” KICKOFF 

MESSAGE

For use in written or video communication from executive leadership (C-Suite)

Beat the Heat Week – A Message from the CEO (or another business executive)

Team, 

It’s been a great year so far as our teams continue to drive successes across the Company. We’re proud of 

achieved business successes and especially proud of our safety culture. 

As we move into the summer months, it’s important to remember the hazards presented by the change 

of season. To ensure we’re doing our part to prevent workplace heat illness, we’ve designated this week 

as “Beat the Heat week” across all business locations.

So, what can we do to address heat stress and prevent heat illness? I’d ask you to consider 4 simple 

strategies: 

<show individual graphics from toolkit-provided poster as leader goes through each numbered strategy> 

1. First: Water. 

o Drinking cold water helps cool our bodies and keeps us hydrated. Consider where our 

team can access cool water or other healthy drinks while they are working in warm 

environments. 

2. Second, Rest. 

o Be mindful of heat and humidity in the work environment and provide opportunities for 

our Team Members to rest as appropriate. For example, it’s a good practice for Team 

Members to rest in cool areas during lunch breaks – or during other scheduled breaks. 

3. Third, Shade. 

o Shade can help us cool down. Working in a shaded area or providing cool areas for break 

or lunch can help our bodies cool down more effectively. 

4. And last but not least, Acclimatization.

o This is especially important for new Team Members – or Team Members not used to 

work in a new, warm environment. This means that location leaders can carefully plan a 

new Team Member’s onboarding experience and schedule - to allow bodies to adapt to 

warm environments. If you have questions, our SH&E team can provide guidance. 

<show image of poster with combined graphics on screen while this sentence is spoken> Water, Rest, 

Shade, and Acclimatization can help our Team Members and Partners go home safely.

Our SH&E team has created new resources to support you and your team <this refers to resources 

included in the broader “Beat the Heat” toolkit>. Please stay tuned for more communications that will 

point you to the resources your location can use to identify symptoms of heat stress and provide 

solutions to prevent heat-related illness. As always, reach out directly to your designated SH&E 

professional or Team Leader with questions. On behalf of the entire leadership team, thank you for 

helping us “beat the heat”! 
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Tool #10: Certification of Participation 

As seen in the ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ week schedule, heat illness prevention webinars will be given 

on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by the SH&E team. This certificate will be awarded to those 

sites who complete one of the webinars.
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Tool #11: Hydration Facts and Tips

This fact sheet will be sent out as seen in the ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ week schedule to support the 

prevention technique of water. The goal is to give quick facts and tips to enable our Team Members 

to work safely in hot conditions.

HYDRATION FACTS AND TIPS

Facts

- Dehydration is the body losing more water than it is consuming.

- 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. 

- Sweat contains salt and electrolytes. Without electrolytes in the body, 

muscle cramps and other health problems can occur. Water cannot 

replace electrolytes.

- The body is 55% - 65% water.

- If 2% of fluids are lost in the body, then a potential consequence is 

impaired performance. As the percentage of fluid loss increases, the 

consequences become even more severe like heat exhaustion. 

- Cool water and electrolyte containing fluids are much more effective 

than warm liquids at bringing down the body’s core temperature in the 

range of 97° F to 99° F. 

Tips

- It is recommended to drink at least one cup (8 ounces) of water every 

20 minutes while working in the heat. 

- Try to drink 1 bottle of electrolyte supplement for every 3 bottles of 

water.

- Make sure cool water and electrolyte containing fluids are near the area 

where work is being done. 

- It is recommended to drink even if you are not thirsty.

- Monitor the color of your urine. A hydrated individual should have pale 

yellow urine. 

- Limit caffeine and alcohol intake before and after potentially heat 

excessive jobs or tasks. 

- Help fellow team members to remember to stay hydrated. 

- Use the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App to set hydration reminders 

on your phone.
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Tool #12: Work/Rest Schedule 

This tool will be sent out, as seen in the ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ week schedule, to support the 

prevention technique of rest. The goal is to provide ideas on how to implement an effective 

work/rest schedule. 

WORK/REST SCHEDULE

Importance of Rest Breaks

• Rest slows down the buildup of heat in the body from prolonged muscle activity. 

• Breaks allow your heart rate to recover from sustained heat stress and physical exertion. 

• If breaks occur in the shade, cooling will increase especially if there is air movement with 

cool air. 

• Shorter, more frequent breaks are more effective than longer, less frequent rest breaks.

Work/Rest Schedule Building Tool

• Work/rest cycles should be designated based on heat in the work area, physical 

demands, and clothing. 

• This is an available tool to help keep track of Team Members’ rests throughout the shift.

Heat Stress Actions and Approval Form

Date: __________________ Site Program Administrator:

Description of Work Activity: _____________________________________ ____________________

Site: ______________________

Current Prevention Strategies/Controls: _____________________________

Ambient Temperature: ___________ Signature:

Heat Stress Category (circle one): 1 2 3 4 5 ____________________

Team Member Work Duration / Rest Duration: ______min. / ______min.

Team Member 

Name

Time 

Work Rest Work Rest Work Rest Work Rest Work Rest Work Rest 

*Complete one form for each task/work area and maintain records in a secure location.
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Tool #13: Acclimatization Safety Moment Presentation

Team Members and worksite managers meet daily for a brief safety moment. This short PowerPoint 

is a potential acclimatization tool for worksite managers to use in these meetings. This tool will be 

sent out, as seen in the ‘Savage Beats the Heat’ week schedule, to support the prevention technique 

of acclimatization. The goal is to highlight the importance of acclimatization and offer ideas the 

worksite can implement. To access the full PowerPoint, refer to ‘Tool #13: Acclimatization Safety 

Moment Presentation’ file in the current Zip folder.

(PowerPoint continues on the next page)
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