CEK Air Conditioning & Ventilation

Yesterdays launch of the new "building your own fridge plant" lego kits have been getting loads of positive feedback. Lots of requests coming in to get hold of these fantastic STEM resources - we are prioritising schools and education but will get as many of them out there as we can. Thanks Edwin Bowater at FJB for such an inspiring and practical idea! #fantasticfridges #careersincooling #stem

In this article, we discuss heat stress, the issues it can cause for both employees and employers, as well as the ways in which evaporative cooling technology is ideally suited to managing indoor temperatures. A workplace doesn’t just have to be full of heavy machinery to be considered dangerous – when conditions are too warm inside, the excess heat can negatively impact worker health in a number of different ways. It’s not just hot weather outside that can cause temperatures to rise indoors – some places of work, such as foundries and bakeries, generate a lot of heat during daily operation. If this goes unmanaged, conditions can quickly become uncomfortable and hazardous. While heat stress has a very real impact on the workforce of today, data predicts that by 2030, the equivalent of more than 2% of total working hours worldwide will be lost every year, either because it is too hot to work or because workers have to work at a slower pace. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬? Heat stress is caused when a body’s internal regulatory system cannot maintain the ideal temperature. While it may seem easy to pinpoint, it’s not just the temperature indoors that can affect the onset of heat stress. Factors such as humidity, the pace of work and the clothing worn all contribute to how quickly and severely heat-related illnesses can begin to develop. In other words, although the indoor temperature may be mild, if employees are carrying out heavy work too quickly, for example, the risk of heat stress may rise. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 Above all else, heat stress can seriously harm the health and wellbeing of employees. As well as making life uncomfortable and more challenging for workforces, if left unchecked it can directly lead to illnesses and ailments: While workplace heat stress can have an influence on the health of your employees – high temperatures can also have a much larger and often unseen effect on your business. Workplace safety If conditions are too hot it can trigger lapses in concentration. This can be problematic for those operating heavy, manual equipment, or require a great deal of focus to perform their tasks safely. Any loss of concentration can lead to accidents or mistakes, or someone injuring themselves or those around them. To illustrate how important effective temperature management is, a recent study suggests that extreme heat plays a role in at least 20,000 additional injuries annually. Productivity When people work in hot environments they often find it hard to focus, feeling more tired and lethargic as the day goes on. While this is bad for health and safety, these factors also limit staff productivity. To understand the relationship between heat and productivity, new data highlights that the rate at which staff work can dip by as much as 4% for every degree above 27°C. Read the rest and the full article: https://lnkd.in/dvMiD5Gq