How does dehydration impact workplace safety?
Up to 60 percent of the human body is water. Water plays a critical role in most bodily functions, so it should be no surprise that a decrease in hydration results in physiological problems. In the workplace, proper hydration should be considered a form of PPE. After all, a dehydrated worker can suffer health consequences and may also make errors that affect their own safety and the safety of others. Most commonly (but not exclusively), dehydration happens during the summer months in hot work environments like construction or working inside a steel foundry. Dehydration can also occur when doing intense physical activity where muscle contractions generate a substantial amount of body heat. In order to cool down and dissipate the extra heat, the body perspires. The perspiration traps the heat and allows it to escape through evaporation. When severely dehydrated due to a lack of fluids, perspiration ceases and the body is left without its cooling mechanism. This can cause severe heat stress that, if not immediately addressed, could lead to headaches, light-headedness, loss of consciousness, or other severe and potentially fatal complications. Harm from dehydration is not limited only to these physical effects. Research indicates that dehydration decreases brain-tissue fluid, which can result in changes to brain volume. This is likely why dehydration leads to lower mental performance. A 1-percent decrease in hydration has been linked to a 12-percent decrease in employee productivity, and a 3-4-percent decrease in hydration can result in a 25-50-percent decline in employee performance. Dehydration slows reaction time the same way as impairment. A 3-percent decrease in hydration can have the same effect on a person's reflexes as a 0.08 blood alcohol content, making errors in judgment and a slower reaction time significantly more likely. Dehydration and heat stress are two sides of the same coin. NASA determined that if an employee who usually works at 80 degrees Fahrenheit is exposed to temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the worker will make 12 times more errors, which translates to an increased injury rate. Being unable to properly assess workplace hazards is a major source of accidents and injuries. As a result, dehydration is a special concern for health and safety practitioners. Studies show that up to 80 percent of the adult population go through at least part of their day mildly dehydrated. While water may be optimal hydration for office workers, for those who are sweating at a high rate, research suggests it isn't enough. Sweat contains electrolytes, which need to be replaced for optimal hydration and performance. Severe climates and intense work conditions put workers in greater danger of dehydration, requiring more than water alone to be replaced for complete hydration. If you work in these types of conditions, you need a fluid with electrolytes to boost the minerals in your body - you need Sqwincher, Hydration that Works.