LOS ANGELES (KABC) — It’s a little more than halfway into March, and summer-like heat is already baking Southern California.
Amid the heat wave, health experts are warning residents to take precautions.
Nicholas Orozco, a doctor at Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center, said people should watch for warning signs of heat-related illnesses.
“If you’re really excessively thirsty, sweating a lot, nauseous, feeling lightheaded – those can be signs of heat exhaustion,” he said.
For many outdoor workers, staying out of the heat isn’t an option.
Crews laying hot asphalt spent Tuesday under the intense sun, relying on safety measures to prevent heat-related illness.
“We do have to prepare for it, make sure we have shade, make sure we have water, ice for the guys,” said Dennis Ricard of California Paving and Grading. “We have an ice machine. We have water at the yard. These guys grab cases of it. They grab ice every morning.”
But not all employers take similar steps. Cal/OSHA continues to remind employers of their responsibilities to protect workers in extreme heat.
“People don’t realize how quickly things can turn. Unfortunately, every year we still see fatalities due to something preventable as heat,” said Denisse Gomez, a spokesperson for Cal/OSHA.
With temperatures expected to remain high this week, officials urge residents and workers alike to stay hydrated, seek shade when possible and monitor for signs of heat-related illness.
As for those who don’t have air conditioning, don’t sweat it. L.A. County and other parts of Southern California have cooling centers to make sure no one overheats
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