Body Armour director Toni McQuinn explains why water alone may not be enough to achieve effective hydration for Australian miners.
Across mine sites and heavy industries, hydration is often simplified to a well-intended reminder: “drink plenty of water”.
But while water is essential, it’s only one part of a much bigger picture, and relying solely on water can potentially leave workers vulnerable to heat stress, fatigue and cognitive decline.
“Similar to the sporting arena, hydration in heavy industry isn’t about drinking more, it’s about drinking smarter,” Body Armour director Toni McQuinn told Safe to Work.
“It’s about understanding the physiological toll of heat and exertion, leveraging food as fuel, and redefining what effective hydration looks like in our sector.”
McQuinn said water is undoubtedly one of the most essential elements for proper hydration.
On average, men should aim to drink about 3.7 litres of water per day, while women need approximately 2.6 litres. This difference is largely due to men generally having a higher metabolic rate, often leading to greater perspiration.
But for workers in heavy industry, especially those facing tough conditions, hydration needs can more than double.
In extreme conditions, particularly in high-heat environments, bodies sweat heavily. Sweat doesn’t just contain water; it also contains essential electrolytes and without these salts, the body struggles to retain water.
The steady loss of these electrolytes plays a significant role in the negative effects of dehydration including cramping, fatigue and impaired performance.
Drinking water throughout the workday, combined with a well-designed electrolyte supplement plan tailored to the specific needs of heavy industry, can help replenish these lost nutrients and support optimal performance.
“At Body Armour, we aim to optimise the health and performance of frontline workers via knowledge sharing and education,” McQuinn said.
“Through extensive research and collaboration with occupational health experts, we’ve learned two things clearly: when it comes to hydration in tough conditions, water alone just doesn’t cut it.
“Additionally, the existing hydration solutions in the heavy industry need reviewing against data available through modern science and recent studies.”
The science of sweat
Sweat isn’t just water. It’s a rich fluid loaded with vital electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride, all of which are critical for regulating nerve function, muscle performance and fluid balance.
The mining industry presents unique hydration challenges that water alone often cannot address. Safe Work Australia highlights the average worker can lose up to 1.5 litres of sweat per hour, depending on the temperature, workload and protective clothing.
In tropical or arid zones, where many Australian mining regions are located, this loss can be even greater.
To put it into perspective, for each litre of sweat, an estimated 800–1300mg of sodium is lost, a significant figure when considering electrolyte replacement.
“If those fluids and electrolytes aren’t adequately replaced, dehydration sets in quickly,” McQuinn said.
“But here’s where it gets dangerous – water without electrolytes can actually dilute the body’s sodium levels, increasing the risk of hyponatremia, a condition as dangerous as dehydration itself.”
Hyponatremia, occurs when the sodium level in your blood is abnormally low. It’s a common electrolyte imbalance often caused by an excess of water compared to sodium content in the body, with severe symptoms including confusion, lethargy, seizures, coma, and even death if sodium levels drop drastically.
“Dehydration and heat stress starts subtly,” McQuinn said. “Fatigue, slower reaction times and reduced mental clarity can quickly escalate to headaches, cramps, dizziness, or heat stroke.
“We never think this will happen to us, until it does. On a mine site, these symptoms can become life-threatening.”
The progression from optimal hydration to dangerous dehydration happens faster than most realise.
A one per cent loss in body mass due to fluid (just 750ml in a 75kg person) is enough to decrease physical performance and impair cognitive function, significantly increasing safety risks.
At three per cent fluid loss, physical work capacity decreases by 25–30 per cent, while reaction times and decision-making ability deteriorate to levels comparable with being legally intoxicated.
For heavy industry workers, these aren’t just statistics, they represent real safety risks that can lead to:
- slower reaction times when operating heavy machinery
- impaired decision-making during critical operations
- increased likelihood of slips, trips, and falls
- compromised emergency response capabilities.
McQuinn said establishing new standards for industrial hydration is essential and requires two critical challenges to be addressed.
The first is critically reviewing the hydration solutions that have traditionally been used in the heavy industry against data available through modern science and recent studies.
“For decades, hydration products used across mining and heavy industry have remained largely unchanged,” McQuinn said.
“Most focus almost exclusively on sodium and potassium, while overlooking the broader spectrum of nutrients required for sustained performance and recovery.
“What’s more, these traditional formulas are often laden with artificial colours, flavours, and sweeteners, and many contain excessive levels of sugar, sometimes more than a soft drink.”
In high-heat, high-exertion environments, workers can regularly consume high volumes of hydration solutions per shift, the additives in which McQuinn said can have compounding effects on the body.
“High sugar intake, for example, contributes to energy crashes, gastrointestinal distress and insulin spikes, none of which support long-term performance or safety,” he said.
The second challenge facing heavy industry is the need to accept a new set of rules for hydration compared to other industries.
“Hydration in heavy industry cannot follow the same rules as the general workforce,” he said.
“An office worker in air-conditioned environments doesn’t face the same physiological stress as a boilermaker in a full kit operating at 40°C underground.”
According to McQuinn, hydration solutions must reflect those realities and support the essential nutrients required for optimal recovery.
“They must be designed with environmental stress, consumption volume, and cumulative ingredient exposure in mind,” he said.
“We need protocols that consider heat load, personal protective equipment (PPE) impact, workload, humidity and sweat rates. Only then can hydration strategies actually meet the demands of the work.”
McQuinn outlined key considerations to keep in mind that can help heavy industry workers stay hydrated more effectively and consistently.
Nutrition: The first line of defence
McQuinn said the most effective hydration strategy begins with nutrition.
“A nutrient-dense diet, rich in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and natural salts is the body’s first line of defence against electrolyte depletion,” he said
“It is important to note that workers can’t stop every hour to eat. Heavy industry conditions, heat, fatigue, shift lengths and limited access to food during tasks demand practical, portable and fast-acting solutions.”
Absorption rate is also an important factor to consider, which is where balanced hypotonic hydration solutions come into play – not to replace food, but to supplement and bridge the gaps in extreme environments.
Pre-hydrate, don’t just rehydrate
This means encouraging pre-shift meals and fluid intake. Where possible, McQuinn said miners should aim to provide nutrient-rich foods or robust hydration solutions 30–60 minutes prior to work.
“Look for solutions specifically formulated to the industrial work environment, including all key electrolytes, minimal sugar, and no artificial additives e.g. Red Dye 40, Brilliant Blue 1, Yellow 5 or 6,” he said.
Educate and empower
Understanding the science behind hydration increases compliance. Knowledge is the key to drive change. Workers who know why proper electrolyte balance matters are more likely to follow protocols.
Don’t rely on thirst alone
“Thirst is a lagging indicator,” McQuinn said. “By the time you feel thirsty, dehydration has already started.
“Incorporate scheduled hydration breaks into every shift, ensuring workers are reminded to consume not just water, but balanced electrolyte fluids.”
Monitor and adjust
This involves tracking key metrics including incident rates, self-reported fatigue levels, and productivity to refine approaches to hydration.
“Water is vital. A good diet is essential. But in high-heat, high-risk jobs, targeted hydration support can be the difference between a safe shift and a dangerous one,” McQuinn said.
“When workers feel better, they work better. And everyone goes home safely.”
This feature appeared in the May–June edition of Safe to Work.