Feature
Avoiding Dehydration in the Workplace
By Mike Markovsky
P
hysical dehydration can be insidious and, depending on
each individuals state of hydration and tolerance level to
thirst signals, it can have a profound impact on business.
Recently, the detrimental effects of personal dehydration
have begun to come into focus in the industrial environment.
A growing body of evidence points to dehydration as one of
the most widespread and least understood hindrancesand
dangerson the job. Lets consider some facts:
A number of studies have been done over time linking
dehydration to lower physical and mental performance.
For example, Wasterlund and Chaseling1 studied forest
workers in a controlled environment, where one group
was properly hydrated and the other dehydrated to an
extent of about one percent of body weight loss (mild
dehydration is defined as less than five percent2). The
measure was the time required to debark and stack 2.4
cubic meters of pulpwood. The result was a 12-percent
decrease in productivity from the dehydrated group.
There are many more studies that attained comparable
results. With respect to mental performance, Gopinthan,
et al.3 studied the effects of dehydration on decision-
making and cognitive performance, which could result
in a decline in productivity and also could be associated
with an increased risk of work-related accidents. In this
study, subjects were passively dehydrated by one, two,
three and four percent of body weight with specific
testing throughout the decline. The study concluded that
visual motor tracking, short-term memory, attention and
arithmetic efficiency were all impaired at dehydration
levels of two percent of body weight or more. In the
extreme, the Gopinthan study also noted a 23-percent
reduction in reaction time when subjects were four percent
dehydrated.
Its been estimated that up to 80 percent of the US
adult population goes through their normal day in at
least a mildly dehydrated. And, if one reports for work
dehydrated, the odds of that circumstance improving
during the day arent very good.
When an employee is performing physical work, sweat
output can easily outpace water intake, which will lead to
dehydration. And, more severe working conditions can
accelerate dehydration. Bishop, et al.4 observed that fully
encapsulated protective clothing increased sweat rates
up to 2.25 liters (0.6 gallons) per hour. In the simplest of
terms, what fluids leave the body must be replaced or
dehydration is inevitable.
Finally, evidence from several studies seems to indicate
that dehydration may be linked to job-related accidents
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by causing orthostatic intolerance. Adolph5 cited that
dehydrated subjects fainted more quickly when subjected
to an orthostatic challenge test (a change in body posture).
Similarly, Carter, et al.6 established that at a three-percent
dehydrated state from heat exposure subjects experienced
a significant reduction in cerebral blood flow velocity
when changing from a seated to a standing position.
Assessing hydration status
The conventional wisdom of eight glasses a day doesnt
hold water (pun intended) when one considers the wide variety
of body sizes, shapes, states of wellness and the level of outside
influences to which each individual is subjected daily. Assessing
urine color, although it has limitations, is one of the best methods
of superficially monitoring hydration. This personal assessment
certainly involves the individual employees commitment and
best intentions.
Hydration action planning
Improving overall employee hydration is best accomplished
through the use of a three-pronged approach including education,
assessment, and implementation of best practices for encouraging
fluid intake during the workday.
Education
The most critical component is employee involvement. The
personal benefits of proper hydration span all facets of a persons
life. The cognitive and performance-based advantages gained
from good hydration at work will, obviously, be available after
work as well. From an employees perspective, proper hydration
involves a decision to improve and the determination to make
assessing their hydration state and staying hydrated habitual.
Companies should make hydration education an ongoing part
of employee communications. Employees should be made aware
of the downside of drinking soda and coffee in the interest of
hydration. Both usually contain caffeine, which is a diuretic
that will act to further dehydrate the body, while the person
drinking them may think they are alleviating dehydration. And,
any sugar content further taxes the body, due to its processing
demand, again serving to dehydrate. These and other pertinent
facts should be reinforced consistently through training and
visual reminders.
Assessment
The best way to assess hydration status, given the variables of
body mass, work routines and other environmental and personal
issues, is to monitor urine color. Urine that is clear to light yellow
is a reasonable indicator of proper hydration. However, heavy
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consumption of water to overcome darker color urine can falsely
lighten subsequent urinations, as it may take up to 24 hours for the
body to assimilate sufficient additional fluids to fully rehydrate
itself. The key is consistent hydration and consistent assessment,
with which urine color becomes more stable and monitoring
becomes much more accurate. Again, this should all be part of
the ongoing education program. Local hospitals usually have
dieticians or other professionals on staff who are eager to help
build educational and reminder programs.
Implementation
The critical third facet in the hydration plan is making drink-
ing water very readily accessible and appealing. While plumbing
codes mandate the availability of drinking fountains in commercial
buildings, they do not cover either maintenance or water quality
issues. With respect to maintenance, consider your own personal
acceptance of drinking fountains in the workplace. Are the facilities
for providing drinking water inviting enough for you to use them
regularly? Dont forget that employers will be asking employees
to use these facilities much more frequently than ever as part of an
increased hydration initiative. How does the water taste?
Many companies moved to bottled water over the years.
While that approach can certainly encourage hydration, it is both
expensive and environmentally insensitive. In the US alone, we
use 50 billion small (half-liter) bottles of water each year, and
place between 30 and 40 billion of those containers in landfills.
Bottled water may handle the access to acceptable water issue, but
it will inevitably create another problem down the line. Consider
upgrading your existing, installed drinking fountains with
advanced products that encourage use and can become an active
part of your hydration reminder program. Chilled water, filtered
to remove the chlorine taste, with enhanced low-maintenance
features will allay sanitary fears.
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Conclusion
Encouraging employee hydration can have significant impact
on your companys overall performance and safety record, as well
as the general welfare and health of your staff. It requires a firm
commitment on the part of management, complete buy-in from
employees who will be asked to alter their personal habits, and
continuous reinforcement from all involved.
References
1. Wasterlund, D.S.; Chaseling, J.; Burstrom, L. The effect of fluid con-
sumption on the forest workers performance strategy. Applied Ergonomics,
35:29-36, 2004.
2. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/dehydration
3. Gopinathan, P.M.; Pichan, G.; Sharma, V.M. Role of dehydration in heat
stress-induced variations in mental performance. Archives of Environmental
Health, 43:15-17, 1988.
4. Bishop, P.A.; Pieroni, R.E.; Smith, J.F.; Constable, S.H. Limitations
to heavy work at 21 degrees C of personnel wearing the US Military
chemical defense ensemble. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine,
62: 216-220, 1991.
5. Van Loan, M: Age, gender, and fluid balance, in Buskirk, E.R. and Puhl,
S.M. (eds): Body Fluid Balance: Exercise and Sport. Boca Raton: CRC Press,
pp. 215-230, 1996.
6. Carter, R. 3rd; Cheuvront, S.N.; Vernieuw, C.R.; Sawka, M.N. Hypo-
hydration and prior heat stress exacerbates decreases in cerebral blood
flow velocity during standing. Journal of Applied Physiology, 101:1744-1750,
2006.
About the author
S Mike Markovsky is Vice President of Marketing for Haws Corpora-
tion of Sparks, NV. The company designs, manufactures and distrib-
utes drinking fountains and emergency equipment that are ranked #1
in quality by specifiers in both product categories. Markovsky can be
reached at (775) 353-8378 or michaelm@hawsco.com. Learn more at
www.Hawsco.com.
September 2010