It is important for workplaces to measure both the climate and to assess how much energy is exerted from workers. Classifying work into categories such as light, moderate, and heavy, helps to determine the heat load on employees.
How the body heats or cools depends on the following factors:
• Air temperature
• Radiant heat load
• Physical activity
• Cooling by sweat
• Body adjustments to heat (acclimatization)
• Humidity
In Ontario, summers are often humid and can reach levels of 100% humidity, raising the overall temperature drastically. The higher the humidity, the lower the evaporative heat loss and the higher the possibility for heat stress. High humidity prevents sweat from evaporating. This explains why on sticky, humid days, the air can be as hot and thick as a bowl of soup.
How does the body release heat?
• 65% of body heat is released through radiation, which is the movement of heat energy from a warmer object to a cooler object
• 10% of body heat is released through convection, which is the transfer of heat energy from a warmer object to a cooler object through differences in density and action of gravity
• 23% of body heat is released through evaporation of perspiration from the skin, which is the cooling of a surface by turning liquid into vapor
• 2% of body heat is released through conduction, which is the direct transfer from a warmer object to a cooler object through direct contact
In short, the body releases heat through several different methods. However, in an environment of 95°F, radiation, convection, and conduction no longer work. This leaves only evaporation, which can sometimes be made worse from the heavy protective clothing of firefighters, welders, or hazmat workers.
At a temperature of 95°F, the human body cannot keep up with internal heat generation levels, and the inner core temperature rises. The only way to release the heat is for up to 48% of blood to be pumped to the skin to produced perspiration. You know something is very wrong when somebody stops sweating in hot conditions.
Why is extreme heat a problem? There is blood loss to the organs, muscles, and brain because the heat is busy pumping blood to the skin. The heart works harder to deliver the same volume of blood to the organs to keep them nourished. In this case, the heart will beat up to 150 times per minute! Dehydration is another concern. The thickening of the blood from dehydration is what can cause a heart attack.
Controlling heat in the workplace is something that should not be taken lightly. Consider the following work practices:
• Schedule maintenance and repair jobs in hot areas for cooler months
• Schedule hot jobs for the cooler part of the day
• Acclimatize workers by exposing them to progressively longer periods to hot work environments
• Reduce the physical demands
• Use relief workers or assign extra workers for physically demanding jobs
• Provide cool water or liquids to workers; avoid caffeine, alcohol, and sugary drinks
• Provide rest periods in cool areas with water breaks
• Monitor workers who are at risk of heat stress
• Provide heat stress training
Not only is controlling heat important for employees’ health, but it is important for the productivity of a company as a whole. NASA studied how the performance of workers changes when the temperature changes. In an 80°F workplace, employees made five errors after an hour and 19 errors after three hours. At 90°F, employees made 9 errors after an hour and 27 errors after three hours. And at 95°F, employees made 60 errors after an hour and an astonishing 138 errors after three hours. Hopefully these errors were minor, but in a physically demanding job, errors can sometimes be fatal.
Even a 2% dehydration level from heat can significantly reduce reaction time and focus of workers. A study shows that 80% of the US population starts the work day in an already dehydrated state.
What can you do? Since you are probably not the Greek God who controls weather, control everything that is in your power to control to keep your employees, coworkers, and yourself happy, healthy, and productive.
Imagine having a workplace that is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Rite Hite Revolution fans improve both air flow and cash flow all year round. See how your facility can benefit from the use of a Rite Hite Revolution fan:
• Moves air up to 7mph
• Covers 22,000 square feet
• Creates a consistent floor to ceiling temperature
• Increases comfort and productivity
• Air from fan gently passes over employees to keep them cooler, productive, and comfortable
• Even in the winter, air from the ceiling is pushed down to the floor to keep employees warmer
• Air is continuously circulated within a facility, keeping floors and products dry and cool
• Energy and cost efficient
• Costs pennies an hour to operate
• Delivers energy cost saving of up to 30%
• Quiet operation
Equipment World is a proud distributor of Rite Hide products. Contact us for a customized quote on how to cool your staff and save some money. Call 1-800-465-6955 or visit us at http://www.equipworld.com/
References:
http://ehstoday.com/health/news/take-stress-factor-heat-equation-7793/index1.html
http://ehstoday.com/health/news/heat-stress-affects-performance-7791
http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibobj.nsf/LookupFiles/PreventionHSGuide/$File/HeatStressGuide.pdf
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