In today’s tight labor market, employers are desperately looking for ways to attract and retain employees. But how do you attract employees to unairconditioned facilities in the summertime? The answer is to create successful work environments where the employees are comfortable, healthy and productive. The only way to do that is with the right ventilation system.
What is a Successful Work Environment?
To perform at their best in an unairconditioned facility, workers must feel comfortable without stress from excessive heat. Also, they must have healthy air to breath that is free of smoke, fumes and contaminants. When the right ventilation system provides workers with comfortable air temperatures and healthy air, the company benefits. This is because workers are more productive, there is less turnover, there is lower absenteeism and there are fewer heat related illnesses and accidents. Therefore, a successful work environment is created by the right ventilation system when workers are comfortable and healthy and the company sees benefits in lower labor costs.
How to Create a Successful Work Environment
The first step in using ventilation to create a successful work environment is to make the inside temperature the same as the outside temperature. That involves determining the required amount of air flow and effectively positioning supply or exhaust fans. The required airflow is determined by the amount of air needed to eliminate the solar heat load and any heat load generated by equipment inside the facility. Effective positioning of supply or exhaust fans is determined by many factors including facility size, location of heat generating equipment and prevailing wind direction.
The second step is to remove smoke, fumes or contaminants from the facility. The required amount of airflow and effective fan positioning in step one will significantly aid in the process. However, for large volumes of smoke, fumes or contaminants the problem may require a localized collection system. This is done by placing hoods over the source and ducting the air to the outside.
The final step in using ventilation to create a successful work environment is to add spot cooling fans or indirect evaporative cooling (IEC). Spot cooling fans such as floor stand fans, column mounted fans or HVLS fans can create a perceived temperature drop from evaporating sweat. Effective positioning of spot cooling fans will create a perceived temperature drop in the range of 8 to 10 degrees F.
IEC is a cost-effective way to deliver a large volume of cool air over a wide area. IEC uses heat exchanger technology to deliver cool air without adding moisture. Depending on the location and time of day, an IEC unit can reduce the ambient air temperature in the range of 10 to 15 degrees F.
We Create Successful Work Environments
Whether big or small, simple or complex, Eldridge has designed and equipped the right ventilation system to create successful work environments for many companies. Now those companies have comfortable and safe employees while they are enjoying the benefits of lower labor costs. If you don’t have the right ventilation system to create a successful environment in your facility, contact an Eldridge ventilation expert and we will give you a free consultation on how we can achieve success together.