Heat Illness Halfway Through a Route
At 2:00 p.m. in mid-August, the heat index is 104°F and your crew is halfway through a route with 250 stops remaining. Your partner, who has been loading all morning, sits down on the curb and says he feels dizzy and nauseated. His skin is hot and dry, he is confused about which street you are on, and he has stopped sweating. The truck has a cooler with water and ice, but there is no shade on this block. A fire station is about eight minutes away by radio. Dispatch is asking for your location because the route is behind schedule. Your partner insists he just needs a minute and wants to keep working so the crew does not get in trouble.
1. What should you do in the first few minutes?
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Stop work. Get your partner out of the sun into the truck cab or a shaded doorway, loosen tight clothing, and apply cool wet cloths to the neck, armpits, and groin. Have him sip water only if he is alert. Do not leave him alone and do not let him drive or lift. Hot, dry skin with confusion and nausea is a heat-emergency picture, not simple fatigue. His insistence on continuing does not change the assessment, because confusion itself impairs his judgment.
2. Should you call 911, and what should dispatch be told?
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Yes. Call 911 or the fire station and say "possible heat stroke." Give the address and cross street, his age, the symptoms, and that he is confused. Then radio dispatch: you are stopping the route for a medical emergency, give the location, and ask for a relief crew. Do not minimize the symptoms to protect the schedule. The medical call comes before the schedule question. If his condition worsens or he becomes unresponsive, keep cooling him and follow the dispatcher's instructions until help arrives.
3. What follow-up and documentation are required, and when can he return to work?
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Complete an injury or incident report noting the heat index, time, symptoms, and actions taken, and notify the supervisor. Do not let him return to loading that day without medical clearance. Ask the supervisor about cooling supplies and work/rest cycles for the rest of the shift, and check on the rest of the crew. A worker who is confused and no longer sweating is a 911 call, not a water break. Return to the route only after relief arrives and the supervisor acknowledges the stop.