Managing heat stress is not only vital for workers safety, it can also impact your company’s bottom line. According to OSHA, one employee overheating can potentially cost a business more than $75,000 in emergency medical treatment, workers compensation claims, reduced workforce productivity and increased insurance costs. Your business can benefit from taking a proactive approach to heat stress prevention, and here are four things to consider.
Heat Stress Can Affect Workers Both Inside & Outside
While it’s no surprise that those working in direct sunlight are affected by heat, factories and warehouses can be equally inhospitable. Heavy machinery radiates intense heat, and improper ventilation or cooling can cause temperatures to rise quickly in warm weather.
Workers Need More Than Water
Water is crucial for staying cool on the job, but there are other equally beneficial factors. Scheduled rest breaks allow workers to recover from the heat. Additionally, scheduling more labor-intensive tasks during the cooler part of the
day and providing breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas can help prevent heat-related illnesses.
Know the Symptoms of Heat Stress
Issues related to heat don’t always present themselves in obvious ways. Workers may experience mild heat stress symptoms like a headache or dizziness, which can easily be attributed to other causes. They also might experience impaired judgment and slower reaction times, which could prove particularly hazardous on job sites that require quick thinking.
Physical Work Isn’t the Only Thing That Can Cause Heat Stress
It’s well known that physical exertion – especially outdoors in the sun – can escalate heat stress. However, environmental conditions like high humidity or a lack of airflow, along with individual health issues like obesity and dehydration, can also play a role. Ensure employees use proper PPE and take appropriate measures to stay cool, especially those at higher risk.
Check out this OSHA Fact Sheet to learn more about protecting your workers from the effects of heat.
Essentials To Help Workers Beat the Heat
Agilix Solutions offers a variety of products to enhance your company’s heat stress management plan, making hot and humid workspaces more manageable.
Cooling Caps & Towels
The advantages of cooling towels and caps are easy to see (and feel). These types of cooling mechanisms combine the protection of keeping your head, neck and shoulders covered from damaging UV rays with the chilling sensation of evaporating water.
Cooling caps from Ironwear can serve as hard hat liners, helping the users stay cool underneath protective headgear. They can be worn wet or dry, providing either cooling or moisture-wicking effects.
MCR Safety cooling towels help to direct heat away from the body, which feels refreshing on skin. Plus they work much longer than standard towels. When used on parts of the body where veins are close to the surface of the skin, they can lower the temperature of the blood flowing through these veins and actually cool down the entire body.
Portable Blowers
Maintaining adequate airflow throughout a job site is critical, especially in industrial settings such as manufacturing facilities or warehouses. And it’s in these types of environments that you need a solution that is portable and durable enough to handle tough work environments. The PBX Series of industrial blowers from TPI are high-performing, lightweight and easily moved, making them a favorite among those working in manufacturing facilities.
Bottled Water
When your team needs to stay cool and hydrated, the simplest solution is sometimes the best. Your body loses water when you sweat, use the bathroom, and even breathing. Warmer temperatures can speed up your body’s water loss significantly. Keeping water on hand at the job site can mean the difference between a lethargic team and a productive one. We offer bottled water by the case or pallet, with a lightweight eco-air bottle design that doesn’t weigh workers—or the environment—down.
Portable Coolers
Cold water is even better for staying hydrated than room-temperature water. Its thirst-quenching properties encourage people to drink more. Portable coolers make it easy to chill water and other hydrating beverages or store ice as needed. The Milwaukee® Packout™ modular storage system, available from Agilix Solutions, features a leakproof food-grade liner and dual-layer insulation that keeps contents cool for up to 24 hours.
Your Partner in Heat Stress Prevention
Hot weather challenges worker safety. Agilix Solutions can help you stay cool and manage heat stress with the products mentioned above (and more). Contact your Agilix Solutions account manager today or call your local Agilix Solutions branch.
Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/