Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS), a leading provider of on-site safety services and training solutions, and The Sqwincher Corporation, a leader in electrolyte replacement drinks, today named Stephen Dean the winner of its “Hottest Job in America” contest. Dean endures temperatures upwards of 110 degrees Fahrenheit while constructing a solar power plant in the Mojave Desert. His story earned him two tickets to a 2014 season NFL game, Cintas moisture-wicking performance polos, cooling collars and a variety of Sqwincher products.

“Although the desert is a hot work environment, we follow a strict heat illness prevention plan to maximize safety,” said Dean. “With the help of Cintas and Sqwincher, my coworkers and I will be able to stay cool throughout the day and get home safely when we’re done.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an average of 618 heat-related deaths in the U.S. each year.  Workers in both high-temperature indoor and outdoor environments face risks. This is because safety glasses can fog, surfaces can cause burns and palms can become sweaty and slippery.

Dean’s work on the Mojave Solar Project in Barstow, Calif., a project built by Abengoa, uses a cycle of 50 minutes of work and 10 minutes of break each hour when the temperature is above 95 degrees Fahrenheit. At or above 105 degrees, the work / rest and rehydration cycle switches to a 40/20 work-break schedule. The job, which requires continuous temperature monitoring to maintain safety, shuts down at 117 degrees. To prevent heat stress, employees are provided electrolyte drinks throughout their shifts.

The contest runner-up, Jesse Baughman, will receive a heat stress prize package for his story about working inside a hot airplane hangar in California. The construction of the airplanes occurs inside structures with limited or no cool ventilation while outfitted in protective suits.

“So many workers like Stephen and Jesse face hot temperatures as part of their jobs,” said Jay Bruscato, Vice President- First Aid & Safety, Cintas. “With products, personal protective equipment and training geared towards heat stress, Cintas is constantly working with its customers to keep their employees cool and protect them from preventable injuries and illness related to hot working environments.”

With one of the nation’s largest teams of trained and certified Health and Safety Specialists (HSS), Cintas helps simplify the safety management process so safety professionals can help get their employees home safely every workday.

For more information about Cintas’ training and first aid and safety solutions for heat stress, visit www.cintas.com/safe.

For more information about Sqwincher, visit www.sqwincher.com.

About Cintas Corporation:

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types primarily throughout North America. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom cleaning and supplies, tile and carpet cleaning, promotional products, first aid, safety, fire protection products and services and document management services for more than 1 million businesses. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

About Sqwincher

Sqwincher has been a vital part of keeping people productive, hydrated and healthy since 1975. A leader in electrolyte replacement drinks, Sqwincher has been credited with improving workplace safety, hydration, and focus in high-heat industrial environments. Sqwincher has now taken its expertise beyond the factory. Sports teams, runners, and ordinary people with active lifestyles use Sqwincher. With a wide range of products and flavors, there's sure to be a flavorful variant for every situation, from construction sites to Little League.