Chaining , tarping and strapping in hot weather .

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by bzinger, May 10, 2016.

  1. mc8541ss

    mc8541ss Road Train Member

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    Born and raised in lower Alabama, most of my adult life at Camp Lejuene or deployed and also spent a lot of time in the desert. Will take the heat any day over the cold. Some of us live in it and are acclimatized to the heat, those who are not or if you are physically out of shape need to be very careful.
    Water, water, water, also light colored shirts and if you have skin that is sensitive to the sun wear thin long sleeve shirts and a vented hat with brim. Did I say water? As mentioned drink your water at room temp and keep ice in an ice chest with a t shirt or towel inside the water. If you accidentally overdo it and feel yourself getting dizzy get this cold water and ice around head neck and upper body. Get cooled off quick. If necessary put some of the ice in the shirt your wearing and in the crotch of your paints.The heat can and will kill you. I have seen it. Don't get in your truck and lay down before cooling down. I have seen it get to young men that are in really good shape. Some of us old farts have to be a little more careful.
    Saying all of that I will still take the heat over cold any day.
    Don't forget to drink water, if you want Gatoraid cut it in half with water. potassium / bananas will help keep the cramps away but you can't Waite till you get cramps, like hydrating it is ongoing and will cause you to have to piss a lot. If your piss is yellow you need more water. Melons and citrus fruits will also help you stay hydrated and keep the electrolytes in your body.
    And if I made any spelling or grammatical errors; I don't give a rats ###. Blame it on my Alabama public school edumacation.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2016
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  3. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    I never worried about the heat. Just hydrated during the process wherever it might be hot, cold or 50 knot gale.

    Amount of hydration depended on the heat levels. You were usually fit enough that the flatbed process is not a problem.

    It was more dangerous to be in the hot roll mill area to load actually. some of the coils and ingots are still hot enough to inflict burns deep to the bone and put you in the burn center for a long time. Something you do not want. They are not too hard to find being off by themselves cooling slowly.
     
  4. macavoy

    macavoy Road Train Member

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    I've adjusted to the Texas heat like white on rice. I have 2 half gallon water jugs that I fill with ice, then top off with water. In the summer, I have to keep a gallon of water in the truck because I'll drink them both and need to top them off.

    I've been adding lemons or lemon juice for flavor lately but last night I bought some Gatorade powder. Instructions said to add 5 scoops to a half gallon, so I put 2 scoops. I don't want that many calories and just a little bit of flavor. Seems to taste just right for me.
     
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  5. catalinaflyer

    catalinaflyer Road Train Member

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    I haven't read through this thread but drinking Gatorade is probably worse for you than drinking nothing at all. Gatorade is formulated for athlete's not the general public sweating. The best choice you could make is Powerade, Gatorade will make you sweat a lot and make your muscles hurt. A former employer on mine brought in some experts on this subject to explain all the scientific details and it has to do with the types of minerals and stuff they add which made sense once explained.
     
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  6. J/Cope79

    J/Cope79 Light Load Member

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    That Sir, Almost deserves a Roll Tide.
     
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  7. mc8541ss

    mc8541ss Road Train Member

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    Thanks, but please don't call me sir, I work for a living
     
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  8. Zeviander

    Zeviander Road Train Member

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    I can't remember where I had someone say this to me, might have been Facebook, but anyways, apparently in Portugal, they don't call it "common sense" because they realize it's not common, they just call it (in Portuguese obviously) "good sense". And after that, I've pretty much tried to stop calling it common sense, because it truly isn't common at all anymore. In fact, it's downright impossible to find most of the time in most people.
     
  9. J/Cope79

    J/Cope79 Light Load Member

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    Roger that, just showing respect.
     
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  10. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    Yea we drink Power Aide used to use Gatorade but read it has too much sodium in it..
     
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  11. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

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    Sodium is good when working in the heat. It wasn't that long ago that your foreman handed out salt tablets at the beginning of every shift. Salt makes you sweat. You want to sweat when in high heat conditions. Sweat is your body trying to cool itself.
     
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