Page 31 - OHS, January/February 2021

Analyze the bottom-line value of having a hydrated workforce. Think about the high cost of heat stress cases: OSHA penalties if a case results in an accident or injury, the potential costs of tempo- rary workers and the negative impact on productivity and morale. Investing in hydration is no different from investing in protective headgear or harnesses. Hydration is another tool to keep employ- ees safe on the job.
Know and understand your workforce. Even with a hydra- tion plan in place, it remains critical to observe your workforce. If an employee acts differently from their usual patterns—slurred speech, irritable, lethargy, loss of appetite or mood swings—check on them, because their symptoms may indicate dehydration. The better you know your employees, the easier it will be to spot heat stress or dehydration symptoms.
Choose the right hydration. When you choose hydration for your workers, ask the same questions you would when selecting any other PPE, and choose quality hydration that is built to get the job done. Look for a natural, clean and clear product. Natural ingredi- ents are easy on the stomach and are easier for the body to process than artificial ingredients. Simply check the label: Are all the ingre- dients natural? Are artificial sweeteners used? Does it contain dyes? If a product has the potential to stain your uniform, it’s probably going to stain your insides, too! Before investing in a product, make sure you have confidence in its quality and performance.
Hydration, much like PPE, is a critical component of health and safety in the workplace year-round.
Protecting your workers is top of mind for you every single day. Give yourself the peace of mind by knowing you’ve protected them not only on the outside, but also from the inside out. The rewards will come back to you in the form of increased productivity, ac- cident and injury reduction and prevention as well as boosted em- ployee morale.
Darin Dillow is the CEO of Sword Performance Inc. Before join- ing Sword Performance, Darin served in numerous leadership roles within Fortune 500 companies in operations, occupational safety and corporate governance capacities. During his career, he has earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety from Eastern Kentucky University and a Master of Business Administration from Midway University.
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