From 1992 to 2022, there have been a total of 986 heat-related deaths across all industries in the United States. With temperatures increasing, heat stress is becoming more of a concern for indoor and outdoor workers.

Employers must look after the well-being and safety of their employees, which extends to protecting them from excessive heat and providing comfortable working conditions. Temperature control rentals, such as air conditioners and chillers, can enable businesses to prevent heat stress conveniently.

Understanding Heat Stress

Heat stress occurs if your body heats up too quickly and cannot regulate its temperature. The severity of heat stress can vary, ranging from mild symptoms to disorders and possible injury.

Factors that cause heat stress include:

Dehydration.
Proximity to radiant heat sources.
Touching hot objects.
Exposure to high air temperatures.
Engaging in demanding physical activity.

If your employees work in hot environments, they are at risk of experiencing heat stress. Those who may be particularly vulnerable are employees who work outside, such as construction workers or servers working at outdoor events. Those working in hot indoor locations such as mines, electrical plants or bakeries can also be more susceptible to heat stress — especially if there is insufficient ventilation or poor air conditioning.

Risks of Heat Stress

As an employer, you must take the risks of heat stress seriously. In addition to being dangerous for your employees' health, extreme heat can affect your equipment.

Without solutions for employee heat stress prevention, sick employees and malfunctioning equipment can interrupt your business's daily operations, ultimately impacting your bottom line.

Effects on Employees

Heat stress can result in the following heat-related illnesses and the associated symptoms:

Heat stroke: A body temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, hot and red skin, a fast and strong pulse, a headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion and a loss of consciousness.
Heat exhaustion: Excessive sweating, cold and clammy skin, a fast but weak pulse, vomiting or nausea, a headache, fatigue or weakness, cramping muscles, dizziness and fainting.
Heat cramps: Muscle pains or spasms and excessive sweating during strenuous exercise.
Heat rash: Clusters of small, red blisters often in elbow creases or on the neck, groin and chest.

If your employees exhibit any of these symptoms, they should stop all activity and rest in a cooler place. While heat rash and heat cramps are the mildest heat-related disorders, heat exhaustion and heat stroke require emergency care.

When left untreated, heat exhaustion can cause heat stroke — a condition that can harm vital organs, such as the brain and heart, and may be life-threatening.

While these illnesses can have immediate effects on your employees while on the job, heat stress can also have long-term consequences. Working in extreme heat can lead to chronic illnesses that impact the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and can result in acute kidney injury.

Effects on Equipment

Workplace equipment needs to work much harder to function well in higher temperatures. Heat can negatively affect your equipment in various ways:

Reduced performance and reliability: Excessive heat can damage your equipment and cause suboptimal performance.
Increased malfunctions: Increased damage means more issues, and your equipment will likely need maintenance, repairs and replacements more often. As a result, you'll lose time and money.
Failed equipment: Extreme temperatures may cause your equipment to stop working entirely — with your equipment down, your business operations will be interrupted.

How to Reduce Workplace Heat Stress

Excessive heat may be unavoidable in certain industries and work environments. Luckily, there are various steps you can take to help protect your employees and equipment.

1. Invest in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Depending on their role and working location, you can provide employees with:

Cooling vests: These vests may help regulate your employees' body temperatures.
Hydration packs: Providing access to water at all times reduces the likelihood of dehydration among your employees.
UV-protectant clothing: Such clothing can prevent sunburn and minimize heat absorption.

2. Provide Shaded Areas

If your employees are working outdoors, offer areas where they can escape the sun and rest. You can also provide your staff with shaded working areas, depending on the nature of their role.

For example, bartenders could be stationed underneath a shaded structure, such as a tent or gazebo, during outside shifts.

3. Monitor and Train Your Workers

Regularly check in with your team — remind them to stay hydrated and encourage them to take necessary breaks.

It is best to offer training programs that educate your employees on recognizing the symptoms of heat stress and how to hydrate themselves adequately.

4. Hire Cooling Solutions

Cooling solutions for heat stress release are nonnegotiable. Controlling the temperature of your event, business or jobsite will help maintain a safe and comfortable working environment for your employees.

Whether you want to have a contingency plan in place during the summer or be able to respond rapidly to a heat-related emergency, there are various pieces of equipment available for heat stress solutions:

Chillers: Whether water- or air-cooled, chillers can be used in multiple industries, from entertainment to construction. These units are suited to larger applications, whereas air conditioners are more effective for smaller areas.
Air conditioners: Businesses can use these units both indoors and outdoors. In addition to cooling, they control the moisture content, movement and air quality. AC units are also usually much more versatile than chillers and are available in different sizes — the size you need will depend on the size of the space you want to cool.
Air handlers: Such machines can significantly improve the climate for your guests or employees and prevent your equipment from overheating. As air handlers offer almost unlimited cooling capacity, they are best for larger applications.
Dehumidifiers: While high temperatures are often the main culprits of heat stress, humidity also plays a role. Air with a high moisture content usually feels much hotter, which may worsen symptoms. Using a dehumidifier with other cooling solutions can improve healthy working conditions.

Rather than purchasing the above equipment, renting is a better alternative for the following reasons:

Affordability: Renting cooling solutions enables instant access to the necessary machines without high upfront costs. It can also eliminate expenses associated with maintenance and repairs.
Easy installation: Rather than installing cooling solutions yourself, you can save time and energy by working with climate control professionals who offer hassle-free installation and removal.
Adaptability and convenience: When using temporary solutions, you can upgrade or downgrade your equipment according to your business's needs.
Risk avoidance: By renting, you have peace of mind that your cooling solutions are using cutting-edge and efficient systems. When you purchase this equipment, it can eventually become obsolete, requiring you to buy newer models.

Benefits of Temperature Control Solutions

In addition to being essential for reducing heat stress and keeping employees safe, implementing temperature control solutions has many other advantages for business owners, operation and event managers alike. The benefits of controlling the temperature via cooling solutions include:

Employee productivity: Providing employees with a comfortable temperature may increase morale, reduce absenteeism and enhance overall productivity.
Operational continuity: Controlling the temperature can stop equipment from overheating and enable you to keep your operations running seamlessly. Uninterrupted operations may help prevent downtime and maintain your business's profitability.
Flexibility during peak seasons: Retail companies participating in seasonal markets or pop-up stores can keep spaces cool, making them more enticing for customers and helping boost sales.
Emergency preparedness: Hired cooling equipment like air conditioners can be used during unexpected circumstances such as HVAC system failures.

Contact TCRS for Temperature Control Rentals

Regardless of your industry, temperature control solutions are vital in preventing heat stress in employees and protecting your equipment.

With over 30 years of experience, TCRS has provided temperature control rentals to industrial, commercial and entertainment customers throughout the country. Depending on your needs, our team of specialists will determine a cooling solution most suited to your business and employees.

With TCRS, you can quickly, affordably and conveniently access reliable air conditioners, dehumidifiers, air handlers and chillers. To learn more about our temperature control rentals, contact us today!

How Temperature Control Rentals Help with Heat Stress