Supply Chain Scanner - Week of July 22, 2025
Weekly blog by Emily Atkins
Feeling the heat? Here’s how to keep yourself and your team cool when it’s dangerously hot
The heat wave that had much of southern Ontario in its chokehold has mercifully broken, but there will be more heat events this summer, and more to come as the climate warms. Working in the heat takes a toll on the human body – and mind – so here are some tips to help keep yourself and your logistics teams safe and healthy next time the temperature soars.
First, let’s take a look at the particular challenges for logistics workers. Warehouse and transport workers are at risk because they are often outside or in uninsulated spaces and are performing demanding tasks. Physical labour like loading and unloading containers, packing boxes and stocking a warehouse can be strenuous at the best of times, and when heat is added to the mix, it can be dangerous. Not only can people get sick, but accidents and injuries increase as people begin to suffer from heat exhaustion.
In hot environments, the body responds by trying to remove the excess heat. This happens through sweating, which cools the skin by evaporation, and through radiation. But when the heat intake by the body exceeds the body's ability to dissipate it, the core temperature begins to rise. This is heat stress. If the body cannot cool itself down, you are at risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion in the short term, and kidney and heart issues with prolonged exposures.
It is important for your workers to understand the risks of heat exposure and how to recognize signs of trouble in themselves and others. A worker is likely suffering from heat exhaustion if they display some or all of these symptoms:
· High body temperature
· Confusion and lack of coordination
· Skin rash
· Muscle cramps
· Dizziness or fainting
· Nausea or vomiting
· Heavy sweating
· Headache
· Rapid breathing and heartbeat
· Extreme thirst
· Dark urine and decreased urination
If someone is suffering from these symptoms, they need to stop work, move to a cooler place and drink water. If they are not treated promptly, they can go on to develop heat stroke.
Heat stroke signs are high body temperature, confusion and lack of coordination, dizziness or fainting, and no sweating, but very hot, red skin. This is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, and you need to call 911 immediately. While waiting for emergency services, cool the person down as much as possible by moving them where it’s cooler, wetting them down with cool water, and fanning them. Health Canada offers a poster highlighting this information that can be downloaded and posted at your workplace.
So, how do you prevent heat illness in the workplace? Common sense tells us to take a break in the shade or a cool place and drink plenty of fluids if we are feeling hot. But when you are in a fast-paced workplace and there are orders to be fulfilled and delivered, sometimes that common sense can feel like a luxury, and people will push through the discomfort.
That’s why it’s so important to first educate your workers about heat illness and its symptoms. Encourage them to take the breaks they need to prevent getting sick.
Offer them the personal protective gear they need. Sunhats and cooling clothing go a long way to beating the heat. Ice vests and personal fans are easy to obtain and can be used by just about any worker.
Adapt the workplace. For inside warehouse workers, do what you can to keep the place cool. That can mean installing fans, insulating the building, or providing an air-conditioned break room if the building itself gets hot. High-volume low-speed (HVLAS) fans can effectively drop the perceived temperature in a warehouse by up to 10 degrees F. Local fans circulating air near workstations can help individuals stay cool by increasing the evaporation of sweat.
For outside workers, provide shade. Outdoor fans can also alleviate some of the discomfort by keeping the air moving.
Encourage staff to take their breaks in cool places, provide cold water and electrolyte drinks. Offering simple treats like watermelon and other hydrating fruits and veggies can also go a long way to preventing heat illness and helping morale.
The federal government and several provinces have regulations on preventing heat stress in employees. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) provides guidelines on thermal stress and employer responsibilities. Provincial Regulations in British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario outline workplace heat exposure limits and prevention strategies. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to fines, legal action, and employer liability for worker injuries.
Nobody wants that to happen any more than we would want to see a co-worker fall victim to heat illness. Hopefully, this information will be useful in planning for the next heatwave, no matter where you work.
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Emily Atkins
President
Emily Atkins Group
Emily Atkins is president of Emily Atkins Group and was editor of Inside Logistics from 2002 to 2024. She has lived and worked around the world as a journalist and writer for hire, with experience in several sectors besides supply chain, including automotive, insurance and waste management. Based in Southern Ontario, when she’s not researching or writing a story she can be found on her bike, in a kayak, singing in the band or at the wheel of her race car. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyatkinsgroup/