For Construction Pros recently profiled a new heat safety initiative from Epicore Biosystems and REUS Cares to protect frontline agricultural workers in Latin America. The program introduces Epicore’s Connected Hydration Armband, a reusable, wearable device that monitors sweat, electrolytes, fluid loss, skin temperature, and movement.
By delivering real-time rehydration alerts tailored to each worker, Connected Hydration helps prevent heat-related risks including dehydration, cramps, exhaustion, and chronic kidney disease. “Extreme heat is one of the greatest threats to well-being and performance in the field,” said Juan Florido, general manager of REUS Cares. “This technology has helped us shift from one-size-fits-all hydration schedules to data-driven work-hydrate-rest routines, improving safety for agricultural workers.”
The Connected Hydration system is designed for versatility, with both a reusable armband for daily use and an adhesive sweat patch that can be applied to different body locations. Already deployed at dozens of industrial sites in North America, the technology is now being integrated into occupational health programs across plantations in Guatemala, including sugarcane, banana, and palm oil operations. REUS expects to expand deployment to tens of thousands of workers across the region by 2026.
Beyond the field, Epicore’s hydration monitoring technology has been validated in academic research and professional sports, underscoring its versatility and scientific rigor. By connecting to secure mobile and cloud dashboards, health and safety teams can track hydration patterns across crews and intervene when needed.
This collaboration reflects a growing effort to address climate-related health challenges in industries most exposed to extreme heat. For agricultural workers, access to real-time hydration data represents a meaningful advance in safety, performance, and equity.