This crazy weather continues this year and the heat is setting record temperatures across North America.

What are you doing to protect your employees from heat stroke and exhaustion?

These conditions are created when our body is unable to regulate our heat production at a safe level. First, we need to make all of our employees aware of the signs and symptoms for these conditions:

1. Fatigue, weakness, fainting
2. Nausea and vomiting
3. Headache
4. Dizziness
5. Muscle cramps
6. Irritability
7. Sweating (absence or presence)
8. Paleness

These conditions can be further escalated by the physical condition of your employees. Employees at a greater risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke are those with: heart disease, skin diseases, extensive burns, endocrine disorders (hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc.), high blood pressure, overweight, depression, insomnia and fever. Over the counter drugs can also contribute to a greater risk for these conditions.

ALL HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES ARE PREVENTABLE!

What can you do to prevent them?

• Use common sense.
• Limit your exposure to direct sunlight as much as possible.
• Drink more fluids (non-alcoholic); do not drink fluids that contain caffeine or large amounts of sugar. Sport drinks are good, as they replace electrolytes and salt in your body. Avoid extremely cold fluids as these can cause stomach cramps. Drink often throughout the day 4-6 ounces at a time. WATER IS THE BEST!
• Wear lightweight, light colored, loose fitting clothing that does not create a safety hazard for your work environment. If outdoors, wear a hat to reduce direct exposure to the sun.
• Make sure your employees are wearing sunglasses that provide UV protection and are impact resistant.
• Avoid hot foods and heavy meals; they add heat to your body.
• Drivers who are on routes should pack a cooler with water for the day. Also keep an umbrella in the truck if you are operating in extreme conditions (desolate, desert, etc.), as this will allow you to move to an area with breeze and still be protected from the sun.
• If exposure to the sun is inevitable, apply generous amounts of sunscreen with a high SPF rating to exposed skin.
• Make sure your truck is in excellent condition. A good pre-trip inspection is crucial in extreme heat conditions to prevent breakdowns, otherwise you may find yourself and your unit on the side of the road exposed to the extreme heat.

Heat and Tires
A very famous tire engineer once stated, “Heat is to tires, as kryptonite is to Superman”…in other words, heat is detrimental to tires.

Taken all together, hot summer temperatures, under inflated tires, heavy loads, and traveling at high speeds= recipe for tire disaster. That is exactly why you see more alligators on the highway in the summer season. An under-inflated tire running during winter or spring months would cause heat buildup and dissipate into the atmosphere due to cold ambient temperatures. So when operating in temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the heat will increase significantly in an under-inflated tire.

When a tire is under-inflated or over-inflated, it loses stability, negatively affecting handling, cornering, and stopping, so proper air pressure is pertinent!

When a radial truck tire has been inflated to its proper air pressure, according to the weight it’s carrying, the operating temperature should be around 150 degrees F. Let us assume that 100 PSI is the fleet standard. The rule of thumb is that for every loss in air pressure of 2 PSI, the tire temperature will increase by 5 degrees.

What can Fleets do to Minimize Tire Related Issues during the Summer Months?

• Tire pressure needs to be checked more frequently in the summer. Weekly is recommended.
• Review with drivers the proper tire inspection procedure during a pre-trip inspection.
• Do not rely on the looks of the tire or striking the tire to determine inflation pressure. The only accurate way to access the pressure in a tire is to use a tire gauge. Keep in mind just 2 psi deficit in pressure increases the heat by 5 degrees.
• Plan your tire program around mounting new, deep tread depth tires prior to the winter season. When summer hits, the tires will be worn down and generate less heat.
• Inspect tires for punctures and damage more frequently in the summer months. Tire punctures tend to increase during the summer because the tread rubber becomes hotter and “softer” and acts as a magnet to nails and road debris.

Bottom line: checking your tires on a regular basis for both air pressure and any signs of irregular wear is essential if a fleet wants to maximize mileage and increase fuel economy.