Asklemmy

I'm a Midwest factory worker, so my coping strategies might help.

Those evporatuon towels? A scam. They are no better than a wet bandana or other small thin piece of cloth. Forget about that shit.

What you need is ice. Get a big cooler and a bunch of big water bottles and fill the bottles with ice water. Plan to drink about 32oz an hour, by the time your bottle is empty all the ice will probably have melted so don't worry about that. Then hot swap to a new bottle and keep drinking.

Don't eat less than 2 hours before work, skip lunch, and eat most of your calories after work. At work all you need are electrolytes, digestion generates heat so avoid anything your body has to work on. I have a little bottle of electrolyte tablets on me and have one every 64oz.

Wearable fans kind of help? Not a lot, but every little bit can be a life saver.

And dress as light as you're allowed. If you're allowed to wear leggings, do that. If it has to be jeans, get something well fitted so there is as little air between your legs and the fabric as possible. Sometimes stretchy jeans are allowed even if leggings aren't, so look into that too.

And... I think that's all the wisdom I have to impart from my experiences? In the Midwest it's not humid ALL the time so I carry a spray bottle to spritz myself with, but when it's humid that shit don't work lol

I'm not from the south, but I used to work in warehouses where the summertime was quite hot. I wore a kilt, and it was amazing. This kind of kilt. They're more comfortable than shorts when it's hot.

Every warehouse I worked in either never articulated that we had to wear pants, or they had an actual written policy pertaining to skirts. (usually for office staff). The guys would bust my balls for a minute, but a bunch of peripheral things would usually shut that down pretty quickly.

They don't affect your mobility, and since it's inadvisable to go commando, anyway, there's no issue climbing ladders and whatnot. I always wore lightweight boxer briefs underneath super bright plaid silk boxers so I could be cheeky about the whole kilt thing if anybody did try sneaking a peek.

In southern Svalbard it's the same as the other months - bundle up and always been on the lookout for polar bears.

I’ve worked farm work in humid heat before, with long sleeves plus armor to protect against knives.

My main advice is this:

• Get a big container you can fill with water and ice. Find a way to keep water close to you so that you actually drink it. Avoid if possible a scenario where you need to walk a long distance or ask permission or cross obstacles to take a drink.
• Buy salt tablets for hydration. You can find them on amazon. Ask anyone who works construction for their advice on brands I don’t remember what exists
• Meditate a little bit each day to develop body awareness. Learn to detect internally when your body’s in distress.
• Make an ongoing study of this. Don’t just adopt strategies then keep them forever. Make it a point to do a little more research each month into: physiology of hydration, medical signs of heat problems, how other companies are handling heat, etc

I live in the south. Interestingly a lot of our warehouses are either air conditioned, or use traditional air cooling techniques like high ceilings, cross ventilation and white roofs.

By the way you can get air seals for semi truck loading docks so even if the door is open and you’re loading a truck, it’s air conditioned, it’s nice.

I don't.

Either my employer provides a livable work space, or I quit.

Hopefully, management has altered your break schedule to give you extra time out of the heat. I work in a steel mill. The hotter jobs work 1 hour on and 1/2 hour off in the summer

Summers in Australia are supposed to be very hot. So I would suggest cold lager and shorts.

Need an Australian to confirm.

Even though I'm not from the southern region, I've had experience working in warehouses during scorching summers. Wearing a kilt made a significant difference. The type of Utility kilt I wore was incredibly comfortable, especially in hot weather. Surprisingly, they felt more comfortable than wearing shorts during those sweltering days.

For those working in warehouses in southern areas, surviving the summer months can be challenging due to the extreme heat. Many workers find that wearing lightweight, breathable clothing is essential. One great option is wearing a kilt, which can provide better ventilation and comfort compared to traditional pants. Kilts made from lightweight materials, like cotton or modern utility kilts, offer increased airflow and freedom of movement, making them a practical and stylish choice for staying cool while working in hot conditions. Additionally, staying hydrated, taking frequent breaks, and working in shaded or cooler areas whenever possible are also important strategies for managing the heat.