With the summer heat in full swing, it’s important that your employees take extra precautions to stay safe on the job. Even if your employees love the great weather that comes with the change in seasons, it’s important to help keep them cool to keep them productive. The risks associated with you doing otherwise, including negative health impacts for your workers and damage to machinery, are simply too high to validate. Here are a few important tips to keep in mind as things start to heat up this year.
Air Circulation
Good air circulation can make a big difference in the comfort level of your work environment. Remember to open doors and windows strategically to keep the air moving around the worksite. If you have air conditioning, remember that the movement of the air itself, not just the temperature, is what will bring your employees relief.
Hydration
Hydration is critical to health, comfort, and effectiveness on the job. Particularly on hot factory floors, it’s important to encourage and make time for regular refreshments. Well-placed water coolers are a great way to address this issue. Or water bottles provided by the company also get the message across. Make it easy and convenient for your team to stay hydrated while they’re getting their work done and you’ll see better results in the long term.
Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until it’s too hot to effectively keep the factory cool. Plan ahead on investing in fans, air conditioners, blackout blinds if you have large windows on your job site. Keep in mind that it takes a good deal more energy to bring the temperature down once your space is already overheated than it is to maintain a reasonably cool temperature throughout the day. Also, remember that the afternoon and evening are the hottest times of the day and that you can focus your efforts to better effect during these work times.
If your windows and doors are not shaded, there are things you can do to passively control the temperature, such as planting shady trees or installing awnings or trellises that help disrupt the direct sunlight your building might get. Remember that certain materials will store heat better than others, including brick and concrete. So make sure your employees can avoid direct exposure to sunlight with these materials for an overall cooler building.
Check Your Equipment
It’s important to make sure your equipment works well even in hot conditions. An overheated engine will result in slow-downs for your team but also in even worse heat conditions for your workspace. When maintaining your machinery, double-check to make sure that coolant is topped up and fans are functioning properly so that when the heat does start to rise, your workers are able to stay productive and safe on the job.
For more support staffing up through the summer months, connect with the recruiting team at Bergman Brothers Environmental Staffing today.
