ClimaWare - Jackets bring enhanced productivity and efficiency on the shop floor by reducing fatigue and accidents at work.
Research has shown that there is productivity loss of 50% for people working in hot conditions, with factory outputs dropping and incidence of accidents increasing on the shop floor. Similar effects have also been noticed in extremely low work temperatures where the body is forced to work harder to maintain its internal temperature. That explains why many industries do not get the highest of returns even with the best of infrastructure and resources.
The ClimaWare - Jacket for industrial usage is designed to take away thermal stress from the workplace for increased productivity, reduced accidents and absenteeism and decreased incidence of deaths. This single transformational technology, available in a range of jackets, gives multiple benefits by making possible better worker health for lesser medical expenses and significant financial benefit to the company.
Know More
Each person is an expert on his/her own thermal comfort. A person's perception of thermal comfort is affected by the air temperature, air movement (speed), humidity, clothing, activity level (the amount of physical work done), mean radiant temperature (the average temperature of walls, floors, windows etc) and many other factors. So there is no universal ideal temperature. But extreme temperatures can cause heat stress and cold stress conditions that are detrimental to health and performance.
What is Heat Stress?
Heat stress or Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. Prolonged exposure to high temperature causes the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body to eventually become overwhelmed. They are unable to effectively deal with the heat, causing body temperature to climb uncontrollably. Hyperthermia is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
What can happen due to Heat Stress?
Heat-related illnesses range from minor disorders like swollen legs or heat rash to the more serious and dangerous conditions of dehydration, heatstroke and sunstroke.
Under what conditions does Heat Stress occur?
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) under the U.S. Department of Labor: Operations involving
high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, direct physical contact with hot objects, or strenuous physical activities have a high potential for inducing heat stress. Hyperthermia cases have been reported resulting from
military training and action, industrial activity as well as normal civilian activity including tourism and active sports.
What is Cold Stress?
Cold Stress or Hypothermia is an acute condition that occurs in extremely cold and in continuously falling temperatures, when the body is unable to warm itself and the normal body temperature of
98.6 oF /37oC drops to or below 95 oF/35oC. Hypothermia is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
What can happen due to Cold Stress?
A fall in the skin temperature can lead to freezing cold injuries (frostnip, frostbite)
and non-freezing cold injuries (immersion foot/trench foot) that can cause permanent tissue damage. The warning signs of cold stress include fatigue or drowsiness, uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, and irritable, irrational or confused behaviour. Severe cold stress can result in dehydration, hypothermia and even death.
Under what conditions does Cold Stress occur?
People working and living in extremely cold temperatures -military, mountaineers, high altitude workers, workers in ice-cream factories and food processing units- are more prone to cold stress.
References:
Website (as on July 6, 2010)
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3156.pdf
http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_4.html
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/sawmills/cold.html
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/
