You’d think you’re in the desert
High summer temperatures provide the perfect excuse for not wearing protective clothing. How can you combat this annual problem and ensure your staff remain protected without overheating them?
Protection vs. Comfort
In the summer months workers who must wear protective clothing can struggle to stay cool. This means that they will sometimes compromise the integrity of their protective clothing by cutting off garment sleeves and trouser legs or unfastening overalls. In some cases the protective items aren’t worn at all. Getting the right balance between comfort and the risks of personal injury can be a major issue. So how can you ensure that your workers will still wear their protective items when the temperature rises?
Safety helmets
Safety helmets that are light in colour will reflect sunlight much better than darker ones that tend to absorb heat. Most helmet manufacturers offer a range of thermal liners suitable for both winter and summer wear.
Tip. Internal sweatbands, manufactured from towelling material or leather, can help to control head perspiration. Liners should be kept clean and changed (or washed) regularly.
Footwear
The continual wearing of protective footwear in hot weather causes high levels of foot perspiration. Such conditions, apart from being uncomfortable, can lead to foot infections etc. The answer here lies in choosing footwear that has an internal lining that is capable of absorbing foot perspiration. This is not just a summer issue either; foot perspiration can be a problem in the winter too. Hence, if you have chosen the correct type of footwear initially then there will be no need to provide an alternative for the summer months.
Overalls etc.
Choosing the correct type of fabric for overalls etc.is an important factor in keeping your employees cool. Such fabrics should be breathable and allow moisture to escape from a liner through the outer layer. High visibility clothing or chemical-resistant clothing can sometimes present a problem because of the nature of the outer surface of the garments. However, most manufacturers can now offer clothing that is suitable for warmer conditions.
Eye protection
In hot and humid conditions, eye protection such as goggles or full-face masks have a tendency to mist up. This means that the wearer will often remove them for cleaning, leaving the eyes exposed to injury.
Tip. When choosing eye protection, if possible, choose goggles etc. that are ventilated to reduce misting. You can also purchase anti-misting liquids to clean lenses.
Take a break!
In most instances the degree of risk will determine the type of protection and it isn’t always the coolest!
Tip. When this arises you should allow your people to take reasonable breaks to cool down. Not 15 minutes for a chat and a cigarette, just long enough to get a drink.
The next step
For some example styles and brands of equipment which can help reduce the effects of high temperatures visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk(HS 04.15.07)
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