Beat the Heat: Tips for Working Safely in Hot Temperatures

There is still plenty of hot weather ahead, and if you’re working in one of those cabling and electrical jobs that requires you to be outdoors, you need to remain aware of the dangers that excessive heat can inflict.

There is still plenty of hot weather ahead, and if you’re working in one of those cabling and electrical jobs that requires you to be outdoors, you need to remain aware of the dangers that excessive heat can inflict.

Although thousands of workers become sick each year from over-exposure to heat, you don’t have to become one of them if you learn the warning signs and take the proper action. Here are some of the things you need to know to keep you from being the victim of high temperatures:

Heatstroke can be deadly

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) warns that heatstroke is the most serious of heat-stress disorders, which can also include heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat rashes. As the body temperature increases, sweaty hands and fogged-up goggles can also pose a safety threat. Workers at the highest risk are those who are overweight, have heart disease, take certain medications, or are 65 years of age or older.

In some cases, the body’s temperature can rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in several minutes as the body stops sweating. The resulting heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability without emergency treatment. It’s critical to recognize heat stroke and take swift action.

The symptoms of heatstroke

Whenever the body no longer sweats, and its temperature reaches dangerous levels, you’ll notice the following:

  • Dry, hot reddish skin without sweat
  • Strong, rapid pulse
  • Confusion
  • Slurred speech
  • Chills

Other heat stresses can also be dangerous

Heat exhaustion occurs as the body loses water and salt. Look for these symptoms:

  • Excessive sweating
  • Muscle cramps
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Clammy skin
  • Confusion
  • Flushed complexion

Heat cramps are painful muscle cramps that happen because of low salt levels and excessive sweating.  Symptoms of heat cramps are muscle pain or spasms in the abdomen, arm, or legs.

Heat rash is an irritation of the skin caused by blocked pores that trap sweat under the skin. Heat rash can appear as a red cluster of pimples or small blisters, typically on the neck, upper chest, groin area, under the breasts, and in elbow creases.

Keep yourself safe in hot weather with these tips

  • Drink lots of fluids
  • Stay away from alcohol and caffeine
  • Stick with lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing
  • Slow down and work at an even pace
  • Take your breaks out of the sun
  • Keep a damp rag around your neck
  • Use sunscreen and protect your head
  • Avoid the direct sun if possible
  • Eat smaller meals that include fruits and natural juices.

Let us help you put your career into high gear

Outsource can show you numerous career opportunities.  We are the largest staffing firm in the nation specializing in the placement of low voltage and electrical talent. Check out our open jobs right now!

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What Goes Into Enforcing a Clear Safety Policy?

Every manager should be aware of the consequences of having one of their workers injured on the job…

Every manager should be aware of the consequences of having one of their workers injured on the job and the importance of ensuring the safety of each company employee. For starters, if a worker misses days because of a job-related injury, the production schedule will be adversely affected, but there are other serious results as well:

  • There will be a workers compensation insurance claim to file
  • You may need to hire a replacement worker
  • There could be a lawsuit or other legal action
  • You will be paying higher workers comp rates

With the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting over 100,000 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the manufacturing industry each year, the odds of your company avoiding an accident are not very good—that is, unless you initiate and enforce a safety policy and bring your entire organization on board to support it.

Here are some things to consider:

Establish safety guidelines

Identifying the hazards in your workplace is the place to begin when you want to establish guidelines for safety. If your workers aren’t using safe practices, the chances of injuries can go up substantially. Your workplace should be compliant with all OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations, and these rules should be posted where all your employees can see them.

After you have confirmed your OSHA compliance, look at some further measures you can take to assure a safe work environment, including receiving proper rest breaks, dress codes, and accident reporting procedures. Communication is critical to the success of any safety program, so solicit input from your workers since their insights will come from working around any potential hazards.

Give them the training they need

After the proper safety guidelines are in place, your employees must be trained and encouraged to follow them. Set up training sessions to educate them on the safety rules of the shop. They will be more likely to cooperate if you make them a vital component of the process. Plus, what you learn from them during these sessions may help you discover additional hazards, making it possible to fine-tune the regulations, and making it more likely that they will comply.

Enforcing the rules

It’s not enough to have safety rules on an eye-catching poster. You’ll need to apply them if you want to have a safer workplace. You’ll have to be careful, however, that you don’t discourage your people from reporting violations and injuries because they are afraid of being subjected to harsh disciplinary measures. If that happens, violations and oversights will never be investigated and alleviated.

Initiate a simple safety management system

The system does not have to be overly complicated. It should include a checklist to help enforce the rules and prevent injuries:

  • Conduct inspections
  • Change policies and procedures whenever there is a new process or piece of equipment
  • Implement a hazard and incident reporting system
  • Investigate all accidents and near misses to determine the cause
  • Recognize workers for safe work practices

Let us help you find safety-conscious electrical workers

We can help you find your next electrical professional. Contact the experts at Outsource. We are the largest staffing firm in the nation specializing in the placement of low voltage and electrical talent.

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Getting the Most from Your Electrical Apprenticeship

If you’re starting in an electrical apprenticeship, congratulations! You’ve made an excellent decision to gain the training you’ll need to pursue a successful career.

If you’re starting in an electrical apprenticeship, congratulations! You’ve made an excellent decision to gain the training you’ll need to pursue a successful career. It’s an investment in your future that will pay dividends for many years.

Right now you’re probably unsure of what to expect from your program. That’s understandable: after all, this is uncharted waters for you, and you can’t be expected to know much at this point.

So to help you along, here are a few pointers that could help you as you move forward in your electrician apprenticeship program.

Show That You are Reliable

It’s important to remember that your employer and your coworkers are counting on you to be there. You need to do good work, but it doesn’t matter how good your work is if you can’t get to the job on time.

And once you are saddled with a reputation for unreliability, it’s hard to get rid of it. It will follow you from job to job, informing future employers that you have a history of not showing up.

Any boss will agree that an average electrician who shows up consistently is better than the star worker who no one can count on. If being on time isn’t something that comes naturally to you, you should practice until you are good at it—it’s that important!

Keep Track of Your Hours

Depending on where you live, the number of hours you’ll need to work to complete your training will be different. Once you have determined the number of hours required, make sure you keep a record of them in a manner that fulfills your state’s obligations.

Your goal is to become a licensed electrician and to do that you’ll need to work the required hours and have an accurate record of them.

Become Familiar with the National Electrical Code

The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a collection of definitive guidelines for the safe and secure installation of electrical equipment and wiring. It looks daunting, but you’ll eventually feel right at home with it. So, if at first you feel intimidated by the NEC, keep studying, and you’ll soon get the hang of it.

Prepare Yourself for a Little Dirty Work

For the first part of your apprenticeship, you’ll be doing your share of menial tasks. Don’t be discouraged. Every apprentice has served time on the cleanup crew, performing all those no-skill jobs like removing debris and trash from the worksite.

You’ll be everyone’s “gofer,” running for tools and supplies—even picking up lunch for your coworkers on occasion. You might find these tasks irritating, but it’s best not to let it show. It’s part of your job, and you’re not being singled out. Your best course of action is to do mundane tasks with a smile and gain a reputation for being cooperative.

Are You Looking for a New Career? Let Outsource Train You!

Outsource’s Field Employee Training Program might be what you need to get a jumpstart on your career as an electrician. Visit our Cable Tech Training page for more information.

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Looking For A New Career? Let Outsource Train You!

Outsource employs over 300 technicians weekly on jobsites across the continental United States. We work with all the national system integrators and all the major electrical contractors and many of our technicians go on to permanent placement opportunities. Structured Cabling is an excellent entry point into the construction industry and it allows for a diverse […]

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Click Here ToStructured Cable Tech Training for Job

Outsource employs over 300 technicians weekly on jobsites across the continental United States. We work with all the national system integrators and all the major electrical contractors and many of our technicians go on to permanent placement opportunities. Structured Cabling is an excellent entry point into the construction industry and it allows for a diverse amount of options when it comes to choosing a career path. Outsource specializes in training people looking to transition into a skilled trade and we do it at no charge.

Chris Trevino, an Operations Analyst for the company, explains why structured cabling is a viable career option. “The construction industry is always in the needs for new talent band this has never been more true than it is today. In fact, The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced in 2014 that it expects to add nearly 10 million new jobs to the U.S. economy trough 2024. A lot of those jobs will go to skilled trade technicians in the construction industry and structured cabling is a great skill to know. As you gain experience and knowledge, you will be given more responsibility on the job and have the opportunity to transition into other areas of structured cable, including A/V and security installation”

Outsource’s Field Employee Training Program provides quality entry-level low-voltage installers to our clients around the country. The introduction of a robust and well-designed program for entry-level training is done onsite at Outsource and is complete in only four (4) days.

The program, which consists of 2 in the classroom and 2 days obtaining your OSHA certification, gives you the tools, safety equipment, and skills to immediately go out and work with out clients. At Outsource, trainees will learn data jack termination (568A and 568B), professionalism, jobsite etiquette, and will be OSHA certified. All of our trainees will have terminated well over 100 voice and data jacks by the time they are released to the field.

Our training center and corporate headquarters is a 4,000 square foot drop ceiling facility which creates an ideal setting for pulling cable and each class involves many actual cable pulls. Each trainee that finishes the course is outfitted with a 110/66 punch tool, snips, hard hat, safety glasses, and blue t-shirts to wear on jobsites.

Furthermore, Outsource also offers a bonus program for its field technicians. After 520 hours working with Outsource, we will supply you with a $200 bonus and a 6-foot ladder. There are additional bonus increases at 1,040 hours and 2,080 hours.

Sam Jarvis, VP of Operations, says, “We look at our Field Employee Training Program as a philanthropic endeavor. We don’t charge anything for the training program and it’s a way to give back to the community by offering people a way into the industry. We want to take an active role in providing people with an opportunity to better themselves and build a lasting career.”

No previous experience is required to attend training sessions at Outsource. We’re looking for motivated individuals who want to learn a skilled trade that can help build a successful and fulfilling career. If you are looking for a new job opportunity with the possibility for growth, advancement, and fulfilling work at the end of the day, then our training class is for you.

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