Temperature data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that in the United States, we sweltered through the third hottest summer in 2022. The early forecasts for summer of 2023 are that we need to be ready for more record heat. The extreme heat conditions that are expected again this summer will pose a threat for the comfort and safety of anybody working in a non-airconditioned environment. In this article, I’ll discuss extreme heat impact on workers and what employers can do to mitigate the threats.
Extreme Heat Impact on Workers
The biggest impact on workers from extreme heat conditions is lower productivity. Studies have found that worker productivity decreases by 1% for every 1 deg. F increase in the temperature over 77 deg. F. That means that if a person is working in an environment that is 90 deg. F, they will be 13% percent less productive.
Additional studies have focused on dehydration as the major cause of lost productivity. The findings were that workers were 12% less productive for every 1% loss in body weight from dehydration. Researchers found that dehydration resulted in impairment of visual-motor tracking (hand to eye coordination), short-term memory loss, and a shorter attention span.
Not only does dehydration impact productivity, it becomes a health and safety issue as well. Severe dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion which if not treated, can lead to a life-threatening condition.
Creating a Cooler Workplace
The first step in creating a cooler workplace is to remove the solar heat load inside a facility. Solar heat load is the result of the sun light heating up the roof. During the day, that heat transferring to the inside. Without proper ventilation, the heat will eventually build all the way to the floor level. By designing a ventilation system with an adequate number of air changes per hour, the solar heat load will be removed, and the inside temperature of the facility will be close to the same as the outside temperature.
The next step will be to provide spot cooling or HVLS fans. While these fans don’t change the temperature of the air. Instead, the air movement that they create will cause sweat to evaporate. Depending on the humidity level, the perceived decrease in temperature caused by sweat evaporation is in the range of 8 to 10 degrees F.
The final step is to consider reducing the temperature of the air inside the facility. Air conditioning (AC) is the solution that most people think of when talking about cooling a facility. However, AC is expensive for both the capital and operating costs. A great alternative to AC is direct or indirect evaporative cooling. Direct evaporative cooling is best suited for low humidity areas like the Southwest. Indirect evaporative cooling doesn’t increase humidity, so it works best in areas where the daytime humidity levels are above 40%. Both direct and indirect evaporative cooling have significantly lower operating costs compared to AC.
A Successful Environment
Many companies find themselves in a highly competitive labor market. Workers have a lot of choices and working conditions are always high on the list of factors determining where they work. Implementing strategies to create a cooler workplace attracts and retains workers with a comfortable and safe workplace. It also can provide financial benefits to the company. A cooler workplace reduces labor costs be increasing productivity, decreasing employee turnover and absenteeism, and minimizing heat related worker compensation claims. Doing a cost benefit analysis will show that investing in a cooler workplace will have a very short payback resulting from lower labor costs. That is a win-win for workers and employers and what Eldridge likes to call a successful environment.
Getting Started
Eldridge can help you prepare for the heat of summer 2023. You will need to start by determining the best solution to provide a cooler workplace. Our ventilation experts have the experience and know how to determine what is the right solution for your facility. We can even help you justify the cost of a ventilation system upgrade by quantifying the payback that will come from lower labor costs. Call Eldridge today to develop a strategy for a cooler 2023 and create a successful environment in your facility.