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Head Protection in Hot Weather: Staying Safe While Keeping Cool
Other accessories to help combat heat stress are neck shades and sun brims. Neck shades can attach directly to one’s helmet and protect one’s neck from harmful UV rays, debris, and dust. Protecting skin from UV rays can be just as crucial in mitigating the effects of heat stress as staying cool, including preventing sunburns, heat rashes, and other sun-induced skin ailments that can also negatively affect a worker’s health and productivity. Sun brims and UV-blocking eyewear can also provide instant protection from UV rays while improving the wearer’s visibility on bright, sunny days or when facing direct sun glare.
Washable Materials
When workers feel the heat, they’re likely smelling it, too. The scent of sweat built up from the summer might affect worker comfort as much as the heat. Workers and their employers should consider helmets with washable and replaceable pad sets, if possible. Some are made with antimicrobial technology that helps to eliminate odor-causing bacteria on the fabric. If they’re washable, that is ideal for saving money and minimizing the need to continuously buy replacement sets.
Although as individuals we can’t prevent the next debilitating heat wave, there are ways to mitigate the impacts. By considering OSHA’s heat stress tips, assessing alternative PPE options such as vented helmets, cooling accessories, and impact protection technologies, workers can help change their personal experience of working in the heat without sacrificing safety. While a safety helmet might be the last thing an individual wants to wear during the hotter months, there are ways to improve the experience and help regulate body temperature at work for a more productive, safe, and enjoyable workday.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
About the Author
Ryan Barnes is founder and CEO of Studson, a U.S.-based industrial Type II safety helmet maker. Since its founding in 2020, Studson aims to consistently deliver innovative industrial head protection equipment to save lives and livelihoods. Barnes brings more than 20 years of experience from the sports, outdoor, and consumer product goods markets across sales, marketing, product management, and business development roles to revolutionize the industrial helmet safety market.