With heat’s well-documented effect on workers performance. It’s only natural that companies are constantly searching for solutions, to protect their employees from major heat exposure.
When temperatures rise the body will do its best to cool off by perspiring. When the body becomes dehydrated and unable to keep its temperature in check. Heat stress can set in, which can lead to potentially severe consequences. A person who’s suffering from heat stress may start to display irritability, disorientation, and weakness. If not recognised and treated promptly, the condition can develop to heat stroke.
Symptoms of heat stroke include convulsions, chills, and loss of consciousness. In severe cases, the consequences can be fatal. In Australia, heat is the number one killer, killing more people than floods, bushfires, storms, and cyclones combined. Older workers have increased risk. Combine the inherent heat in industrial settings with increasing temperatures due to climate change, and heat-related deaths could potentially rise in the future.
Given the dip in health and performance associated with prolonged heat exposure, managers need to have measures in place to keep their workers cool. More frequent breaks and liquid consumption are good solutions, but it’s worth noting that a rehydrating body can affect productivity negatively. The better solution would be to create an environment where the body will be better able to retain its fluids so that the employee can keep functioning at peak performance without affecting total productivity.
Our Ezy Igloos can provide shelter solutions you need to protect your employees from excessive heat exposure. Contact our friendly team to help create a better cooler environment at your workplace.
Sources
Cooling the Industrial Workplace, PlantEngineering.com
Heat is Australia’s number one natural killer, ABC.net
