Bill Fannin, AFMC safety office, says that although few reports of injuries resulting from loose clothing or personal equipment demonstrate the potential for injury exists if users are not careful. Everyone working in hot or arid climates should drink lots of fluids when exerting themselves, said Master Sgt. Rick Johnson, NCO in charge of AFMC s bioenvironmental engineering section. The proper amount of fluids can help prevent heat cramps, heat sickness or heat stroke. Workers should also take breaks every couple of hours to make sure they don t overheat.
History shows that heat-related illnesses are serious business.
Statistics from the Center for Disease Control in Washington, D.C., show that during the summer of 1999, a heat wave occurred in the midwestern and eastern United States that caused or contributed to 22 deaths. But the potential for getting sick down the road outweighs that convenience. For more information on these portable hydration devices, contact your base safety or bioenvironmental engineering office.