Logical storage solutions blog

Warm Weather Tips for Warehouses

Summer is here, and with it comes warmer weather and days out in the glorious sunshine on your days off from work.

However, if you work in a warehouse or factory, days at work are not so enjoyable. When it is hot outside, it can be almost unbearable.

Although there is no legal maximum temperature when it comes to working conditions, it is important that measures are in place to ensure workers do not overheat.

Extreme heat can cause workers to become tired, which can lead to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Also, when tired, it is easy to lose focus and make mistakes that can lead to accidents and injuries.

Here are some tips for both employers and workers to help keep warehouse workers cool while working in extreme heat.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

It is always important to stick to guidance set out by employers and wear clothes that are safe and suitable to wear in warehouses.

However, it is also important that they are comfortable. During warmer months, try to wear clothing that will keep you cool.

Look at the materials that your clothes are made from. Clothes made from cotton, linen, or rayon are more breathable and will wipe away perspiration from the skin.

You could even invest in a cooling vest which is specifically designed to lower or stabilise your body temperature.

Stay Hydrated

When you are hot, you sweat more, and the more you sweat, the more fluid you are losing. The more fluid you lose, the more dehydrated you become.

So, it is important that you up your fluid intake on hot days, especially if you work in a physically demanding job.

This does not necessarily mean that you need to drink lots of water. You can also get the fluids you need from fruit, vegetables, and milk.

Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine. These are both strong diuretics which means they will make you urinate more than usual, thus causing you to lose more fluids.

Learn Your Cooling Points

Your wrists, neck, and the inside of your knees and elbows, and other areas where you can feel your pulse, are known as cooling points.

If you apply something cold to these cooling points, your blood will cool down as your blood vessels are close to the surface of your skin in these areas.

Run them underwater, or put a cold, damp towel on them while at work. Concentrate on the easier to access areas such as your wrists and neck.

Install Fans

Install high volume, low-speed ceiling fans to keep air circulating, even over large areas. If this is not a viable option, provide or permit small, portable fans to help keep workers cool.

Insulate the Ceiling & Walls

Prevent cool air from the night before from escaping during the day by insulating the ceiling and outer walls of the warehouse.

Insulation will help keep the warehouse warm in the winter, as well as cold in the summer, provides added fire protection, and reduces noise levels.

Use Air Conditioners

Rent or purchase portable air conditioners and use them in areas where they are needed most to cool down workers.

They typically cost less to operate and are more efficient than air conditioning that is designed to cool down a whole building.

Renovate Your Warehouse

If heat is a real concern in your warehouse, it may be time to consider a complete renovation or refurbishment of your warehouse.

Get in touch with Logical Storage Solutions’ expert team on 0845 689 1300, or email info@logicalstorage.co.uk, to find out how we can help you to create a warehouse that is not only cooler, with improved airflow, but that is also more productive and maximises space.

Logical Storage Solutions is an innovative provider of storage equipment and interior workspaces for both industrial and commercial environments including office partitions and mezzanine flooring.

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace, and maintenance solutions.