Finally got the crew on a real hydration schedule before the peak heat hit

We ran into the same issue last August while doing a commercial HVAC install on a flat roof. The sun bouncing off that white TPO membrane was blinding, and even with the breeze, the heat was suffocating. I started stocking the truck with those Liquid I.V. packets because plain water just wasn't cutting it after four or five hours of heavy sweating. One of my guys was drinking two gallons of water a day but still getting leg cramps, and switching to those electrolyte mixes fixed him right up.

I also started carrying a couple of those Ergodyne cooling towels in the small cooler. Having somethig cold wrapped around your neck really helps pull the core temp down during those mandatory breaks you mentioned. We actually shifted our schedule to start at 6:00 AM so we coud get the bulk of the heavy lifting done before the 2:00 PM peak. It's a bit of a pain for the commute, but being able to pack up earlier when the humidity hits its peak keeps everyone from burning out by Thursday.

I've found that shifting our start time is the only thing that relly keeps us from hitting that wall. During the July peak here in Texas, we started rolling onto the site at 5:30 AM. Getting the heavy lifting and the framing done before 11:00 AM makes the rest of the day manageable. By the time that midday sun is directly overhead, we’re mostly doing interior trim or lighter tasks in the shade. It’s alot easier on the body than trying to push thru a 2:00 PM peak with just water and breaks. Another thing that changed things for us was moving away from cotton t-shirts. I know the old-school guys hate them, but those long-sleeve moisture-wicking sun hoodies like the ones from Arctic Cool or even the cheap Hanes Cool DRI ones are lifesavers. Keeping the sun off your skin actualy keeps your core temp lower than having a wet shirt sticking to your back all day. We also started using those neck gaiters you soak in the ice chest. It keeps the blood flowing to your head a lot cooler when you’re up on a ladder.

Spot on with the mandatory breaks. I’ll add that alot of guys don't realize thier clothing is trapping all that heat. I started making sure my crew wears high-visibility moisture-wicking shirts instead of the old heavy cotton tees. Cotton just holds the sweat and gets heavy, wich makes your body work twice as hard to cool down. Also, keep an eye on their urine color—if it's not clear or light yellow, they're allready behind on hydration regardless of how much they think they've had.