OSHA: Drink water, stay in shade and have an emergency plan if working outside in the heat

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - It's going to be a scorcher this weekend and while some of us can stay cool indoors, others don't have that option having to work in the heat. 

Heading into the weekend, White Rock Paddle Company has a packed schedule.

Employees say in the spring and summer, they always do a few things to get prepared for the heat. 

"Eat.. eat a lot before,"Julian Sjouken said. "I put sunscreen on and try to stay in that trailer by the fan as much as I can." 

They say one of the most important things to remember when you're working in these hot temperatures is to stay hydrated.

OSHA encourages workers to drink water every 15 minutes, take frequent breaks in the shade and have an emergency plan ready to respond to signs of heat related illness.

"If they can take their own pulse that's important because if they're just sweating and they're not necessarily doing cardio work, yet your pulse is rising that's a hint that your body is getting dehydrated," Baylor Scott & White All Saints Fort Worth Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jay Herd said. 

Feeling weak and lightheaded could mean heat exhaustion and if you've lost the ability to sweat, you could be experiencing heat stroke and should get to an emergency room.