In the middle of a heat wave and with a summer expected to be marked by new episodes of extreme temperatures, heat stress prevention rises again among the main concerns for companies and safety services. Thousands of workers in sectors such as construction, agriculture, manufacturing, or logistics perform their daily activities in conditions that increase the risk of heat stroke.
However, prevention specialists remind that heat stroke does not appear suddenly. Before reaching that extreme state, the body undergoes hours of progressive dehydration and electrolyte loss that cause fatigue, headaches, cramps, dizziness, loss of concentration and a decrease in physical and cognitive performance.
For Sweanty, a tech startup born as a spin-off from CSIC, the challenge is no longer only to react when a worker presents severe symptoms, but to identify that process much earlier to prevent heat stroke from occurring.
«Heat stroke is the final consequence of a physiological process that starts well before. If we wait to intervene when the body is already at the limit, we are too late. Prevention must begin when the first signs of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance appear», explains Anna Llorella, CEO and Co-Founder of Sweanty.
More than 5.5 million workers exposed to extreme heat
According to data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States, more than 5.5 million workers report exposure to extreme temperatures during their workday, both outdoors and indoors. The agencies also note that workplace accidents rise by about 17.4% during episodes of intense heat.
Although regulations require companies to adopt preventive measures such as adjusting schedules, providing shaded areas, ensuring access to water, or taking periodic breaks, Sweanty believes there is an opportunity to go further through personalized prevention strategies.
«Not all people respond to heat in the same way. Two workers performing the same task, in the same place and under the same environmental conditions can lose very different amounts of water and sodium. That difference can determine when the first symptoms appear and the real risk for each person», adds Llorella.
The body warns long before heat stroke
During a work shift in high temperatures, a person can lose between 0.5 and 2 liters of sweat per hour, in addition to significant amounts of sodium and other electrolytes essential for muscular and neurological function.
When these losses are not adequately replaced, symptoms appear that, although often overlooked, are the first signals of thermal stress: fatigue, decreased performance, difficulty concentrating, headaches, muscle cramps, or dizziness.
«Many times we think the risk starts when heat stroke appears, but in reality the body has been sending warning signals for some time. Acting in that early phase helps reduce risk and better protect the worker’s health», notes Llorella.
From general protocols to personalized prevention
Until now, most preventive measures against heat have been based on general protocols applicable to the entire workforce. However, scientific evidence shows hydration needs can vary considerably between individuals due to factors such as the intensity of physical effort, acclimatization, age, use of personal protective equipment, or sweat composition.
With this philosophy, Sweanty has developed SweaTracker, a noninvasive patch capable of analyzing fluid and electrolyte loss through sweat and, using predictive models, designing personalized hydration protocols for each worker.
The solution makes it possible to know the individual physiological response of each worker and tailor water and electrolyte replenishment before more serious symptoms associated with thermal stress appear.
«The prevention of the future will not simply be about measuring ambient temperature or reacting when the worker already shows symptoms. It will also involve understanding how every body responds to heat to anticipate the problem», concludes Llorella.
