I had a 90 minute driver unload at a customer this week. My chemical suit is just heavy duty PVC, not the $1,000 nomex suit. The location was maybe 75-85 F. I knew I was sweating through my clothes. I'm a sweater by nature so I expected it. After I finished the transfer and disconnected my hoses, I ditched the chemical suit, as allowed by the customer, and put away my hose and fittings. At the end I became lightheaded and weak and could barely talk. I had no pain anywhere. I sat in the sleeper for a few minutes and felt back to normal. I assume it's heat-related. I'm looking to buy an ice vest to wear for other occasions.
I was drinking water throughout the unload and never felt unusual. I was drinking water prior to arriving at the customer. I don't think it was dehydration. My clothes under the suit were soaked through, but the PVC prevents evaporation of the sweat.
Heat Stroke wearing my rubber suit?
Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by tscottme, Apr 8, 2018.
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Just a mini stroke.
IluvCATS, Lucy in the Sky and tscottme Thank this. -
We HAD an account Basf that was 3 1/2 - 4 hr unload
I done that run 2x once in February which was no problem that rubber keeps you warm.
But the other time was july or August and it was in the 90s absolutely no fun.
I'm pretty sure Scheinder has that account now, Thank Godmotocross25, ChicagoJohn, 77fib77 and 1 other person Thank this. -
It really could’ve been dehydration. If you were really pounding the water down and were sweating a lot, you could’ve thrown off your sodium levels. Idk I’d be sort of surprised because of how short of a time it was but that’s sort of what it sounds like.
JReding Thanks this. -
Mild heat stroke would be my guess. Might want to carry something to treat heat stroke. Only time I run into it was in Jamaica and vendor poured cold water over the girl and had her swill down a couple ounces of cane syrup, local remedy. She sat for about 15 minutes or so before feeling well enough to walk and regain her composure.
DOT would assume you were on drugs and arrest you and throw away the key -
One thing Ive found to help with them PVC suits is if the customer has cold wash up water and lets you use it is run the water on the suit. Cools it off thus cooling you off.
tscottme Thanks this. -
Ive failed from heat three times.
First to stop is the entire sweating system in the body that is my early warning.
Second is that fainting moment.
If I pushed on and did, the body will simply quit functioning and down you go.
We used a number of hershey bars and gatorade in the field a couple of times and hospital twice. The hospital rehydrated me waited until I showed normal functioning and vitals before cutting me loose. The last one was a near thing, there was actuallly a trauma nurse off duty at the facility when I went down. She made availible a large icee with grape flavor sugar water and ice to start the treatment before I was carted to the hospital.
Twice I quit work in heat and looked for either the tractor with it's fluids and ac or to home which was not far away to rest a few days and hydrate. They put in another driver to do the rest of the work.
Heat exhaustion is the early form. That is probably what you had. You need fluids and rest. Alot of it along with the lost depleted minerals like salt, sugar etc.
Heat stroke will put you out down on the ground and if untreated quickly will kill you or brain damage you and that will be that however many more years you live. You literally cook. The body is unable to cool, you run a fever and organ after organ shuts down in addition to your blood becoming a sort of acid without water to keep the pressures up etc.
We have had a few times here in Arkansas in July and Aug where the heat exceeds 130 on my land on those days we stay indoors under the ac. Nothing is done until night when it cools off enough to do work, including concrete laying at work sometimes.
In history Us Army 6th Corps I think it was marched from Manchester to Gettysburg overland and roads in the July heat over a day and change, 44 miles. They lost a large percentage to heat stroke on the entire route even though the temperatures were in the 90's range and high humidity in the civil war. Some here will snicker at that apparent coolness, but that midatlantic sometimes is a problem when the heat index is 90F + a minimum of 85% humidity, leaving you with no ability to cool by sweating. Down you go. -
A lot of my former acid drivers would stand under the safety shower. One guy found out the hard way that one customer had the showers wired w/ alarms. There he was , standing under the shower cooling off, when the plant emergency response team pulls up with spill kits and medical supplies...after that he always asked first if it was OK to use the shower.
Since we always taught people to check that the eye wash and shower were functional before off-loading, I guess he didn't follow procedure.x1Heavy, tscottme and kemosabi49 Thank this. -
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That's brutal. Next time perhaps take a couple breaks. Nothing is worth as much as your life man
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