As temperatures rise, companies turn to technology to cool down workers
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Some workers who labor in hot temperatures outdoors or in factories or warehouses are getting some high-tech relief. New technologies, some using artificial intelligence, that aim to save workers from becoming overheated and dehydrated are starting to enter the workplace.
Among them: mobile apps that detect heat stress and offer tips on how to cool down, wearable devices that nudge workers when they’re dehydrated, clothing made with cooling fabrics, and machines that distribute cool air indoors more effectively. “Yes, water, rest, shade are of course fundamental heat-protection measures, but we need to go beyond that as global temperatures continue to rise," says Margaret Morrissey-Basler, chair of the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s thermal stress working group. More than 13 million workers are exposed to extreme heat in the U.S., according to Public Citizen, a national nonprofit organization.
They include construction, sanitation and utility workers, delivery workers, landscapers and factory workers. The problem is growing as heat waves have increased in intensity and duration in recent years. And the debilitating effects of extreme heat aren’t just an issue for workers.
When the heat causes employees to be less efficient or miss time at work, it can affect a company’s bottom line. Here’s a look at how some companies are starting to use the latest technologies to reduce heat stress among their employees. Chevron this summer began equipping its field workers with wearable devices designed to guard against heat stress, after testing them out in a pilot project over the past four years.
Read more on livemint.com
