Hydration

4/19/2022 (Permalink)

Signs of Heat Exhaustion

I recently performed a Trauma Clean-up for a suicide victim. In any type of trauma clean-up, PPE gear is not only a requirement, but is critical to protecting you from any harmful pathogens.

From head-to-toe, every part of your body should be covered up and protected. Chemical resistant full body suit w/booties and hood attached, latex or nitrile gloves underneath chemical resistant gloves, and a full face respirator with organic vapor filters are all part of the PPE gear used in a trauma clean-up.

None of this gear is made of breathable material except the respirator filters. Within about 10-15 minutes of performing the service, I was dripping wet, and finding that my breathing was getting heavy. In about 30 minutes time, I needed to take a break and hydrate. 

On my way home, I felt exhausted and had a headache. Had I done a better job of staying hydrated, these after effects would have likely been much less of an issue.

Anytime you have a service to perform that requires use of PPE gear such as noted above, be sure to hydrate at regular intervals and take frequent breaks to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration.