JUNE 25, 2003 –Michigan’s first “official” week of summer has begun with temperatures soaring into the 90s, so Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services (CIS) Director David C. Hollister and State Surgeon General Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom offer a few energy, health and safety tips to help people keep their cool at work or play for the hot months ahead.

“The summer weather that everyone has been looking forward to has finally arrived in Michigan. The first days of summer have been scorchers so we want to remind Michigan employers and families of some simple things they can do to handle the transition more safely and economically,” Hollister said. “We also have some great tips to Michigan residents who are looking for ways to reduce their energy costs at home as well as on the highway while traveling the state for vacations with their families.”

Emergency rooms and doctor’s offices see an influx of workers, kids, seniors or athletes every year who have become ill due to the heat, but it doesn’t have to be that way if citizens follow a few precautions.

"It is extremely important for Michigan citizens to exercise caution during these hot, humid days," said State Surgeon General Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom.  "The best way to prevent heat-related illness is to stay hydrated and cool on extremely hot days and to avoid engaging in outdoor activities. This warning applies particularly to small children, the elderly, and those will chronic conditions."

Following are summer tips compiled from CIS agencies including the Michigan Public Service Commission, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the Bureau of Health Systems, Energy Office, and the Bureau of Safety and Regulation (which administers the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act, MIOSHA):

Heat and Humidity Health Tips

These tips are especially important for the elderly, the very young and others with chronic health problems.

• Keep the air circulating.
• Stay out of the direct sun as much as possible.
• Keep outdoor activities to a minimum especially during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wear weather appropriate clothing – lightweight, loose-fitting clothes made from a fabric that easily absorbs body perspiration is recommended
• Drink plenty of fluids – especially water since excessive perspiration depletes large quantities of salt and fluid from the body.
• Take tepid baths – this will help reduce the body’s internal temperature and increase comfort.
• Learn the signs for heat exhaustion or heat stroke: Heat exhaustion can result from the overexposure to heat or the sun.  Long exposure to extreme heat or too much activity under a hot sun causes excessive perspiration.  When the amount of salt and fluid in the body fall to below normal, heat exhaustion may occur. Early symptoms include headache and a feeling of weakness and dizziness usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting.  There may also be cramps in the muscles of the arms, legs, or abdomen.  Treatment should include removing the person to a cool environment and increased consumption of fluids.
• Heat stroke, also known as sunstroke, is a profound disturbance in the body’s heat-regulating mechanism caused by prolonged exposure to excessive heat particularly when there is little or no circulation of air.  Since heat stroke is much more dangerous than heat exhaustion and is treated differently, it is important to distinguish between the two. While the early symptoms are similar, the later symptoms differ sharply – in heat exhaustion there is excessive perspiration and a normal or below normal temperature.  By contrast, in heat stroke there is an extremely high fever and absence of perspiration.  The primary objective in heat stroke is to reduce the body’s temperature as rapidly as possible via a cool water or sponge bath.  A physician should also be contacted immediately.
• Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  website on heat safety at: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/extremeheat/heattips.htm
• Check on elderly neighbors to make sure they are okay during hot summer days.

Worker Safety Tips

• While there are no specific regulations to how hot the work environment can be, there is the MIOSHA General Duty Clause which requires the employer to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. Employers can be cited if workers exposed to heat are:  demonstrably ill, and this can verified by a health care professional, and the employer does nothing to alleviate these conditions.
• Employers can help reduce heat by shielding workers from radiant heat sources, providing cooling fans, using power tools to reduce manual labor, and using personal cooling devices and personal protective equipment.
• Work practices such as providing plenty of drinking water (as much as a quart per worker per hour) at the workplace can help reduce the risks of heat disorders. Glasses of ice chips, sports drinks to replace potassium, calcium and magnesium salts and more frequent rest periods in cool areas are all effective in reducing heat stress.
• Workers should, if possible, wear loose-fitting, light-colored, porous clothing which allows free air circulation over the body.
• Employers should educate workers, management and first aid providers on recognizing symptoms of heat-related illness, how to report these symptoms to the employer, and methods for reducing the effects.

Heat Relief for the Homeless

• Extreme heat in the summer can often be as hard on the homeless as the bitter cold of winter.  The Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness at 517.485.6536 can connect people to the shelter and services that best meets their needs.

Alert for Nursing Homes and Health Facilities

The elderly are particularly vulnerable to heat, so the Bureau of Health Systems sends out an alert every year to nursing homes and other health facilities to ensure that facilities keep temperatures between 71-81 degrees F, as required by federal rules for facilities initially certified after October 1, 1990. The alert is at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis_bhs_fhs_heat_35731_7.pdf.

Energy Savings Tips:

Energy costs have been on the rise in recent years so here are some tips to give you the most value for your money:

• Keep out the daytime sun with vertical louvers or awnings on the outside of your windows, or draw draperies, blinds and shades indoors.
• Do your cooking and use other heat-generating appliances in the early morning or late evening hours whenever possible.
• Open windows instead of using your air conditioner or electric fan on cooler days and during cooler hours.
• Be sure to keep windows and doors closed during the hottest hours of the day.
• Plant deciduous trees, shrubs and vines on south and west sides of the home to provide shade in the summer and sunshine in the winter.
• Keep the outside of air-conditioning units free from leaves and other debris that can clog vents. 
• Keep cooling systems well tuned with periodic maintenance by service professionals.
• Close off unoccupied areas and shut air-conditioning vents; also, turn off the air conditioner when the area is not being used.
• The U.S. Department of Energy “Tips for Saving Energy & Money at Home” are available at   http://www.eere.energy.gov/energy_savers/  and the CIS Energy Office’s “20 Energy Efficiency Tips for Cooling” are at: www.michigan.gov/energyoffice (direct link: http://www.michigan.gov/cis/0,1607,7-154-10573_17393_17405-42608--,00.html)

Read more Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services new releases.