Reduce Employee Turnover Due to Working Conditions by Becoming Compliant with the New Heat Regulations

Inhospitable working conditions, such as working in high-temperature areas, will drive skilled workers away as they seek out cooler temperatures, some even taking a substantial pay cut in exchange for a more comfortable work environment. Here at Moffitt, we understand how important employee retention is. Recruitment and training are costly expenditures that can quickly add up if employees continuously leave for cooler work environments. Fortunately, Moffitt ventilation solutions can help you reduce employee turnover.

With the rise in global temperatures, it’s becoming increasingly important for employers to take measures to protect workers from heat sickness. California is just the most recent state to enact stricter regulations aimed at protecting workers from heat-related illnesses and injuries. These regulations demand employers provide their indoor workers with designated cool-down areas and additional breaks once internal temperatures surpass 82℉. However, this isn’t a long-term solution.

Long-Term Solutions to Reduce Employee Turnover Due to Working Conditions

Workers, even when supplied with ample water and extra cool-down breaks, can still be enticed away with the promise of a more comfortable working environment. Those accommodations may make the workplace safer, but they do not necessarily make it easier to withstand day-to-day. A more economical solution to preventing employee turnover due to working conditions, such as extreme heat, is through upgrading your industrial ventilation systems to become compliant with the new heat regulations sweeping the country.

Identify Heat Traps and Install Roof Vents

One of the leading reasons for employee turnover due to working conditions is having to labor in extremely high temperatures, especially near a heat source, with little to no ventilation. In industrial and commercial buildings, hot air becomes trapped under the roof, especially well-insulated buildings. As more air rises and becomes trapped, the overall internal building temperature increases, which can rapidly result in work areas exceeding 110℉. These temperatures aren’t just uncomfortable; they can be downright life-threatening. 

Locating these heat traps and installing roof vents, such as the MoffittVent, can help reduce internal temperatures by up to 30 degrees by allowing the hot air to escape.

Increase Airflow

Stagnant air is nearly as bad as overheated air, particularly when workers have physically demanding jobs or work near a heat source, such as commercial kitchens, forges, and glassworks. Body heat quickly accumulates around the individual, adding to the already unpleasant environment. Moisture, or sweat, cannot evaporate, also contributing to employee discomfort. In these conditions, workers would do anything for a cool breeze, even if it meant searching for employment elsewhere.

Industrial fans in strategic places are a simple and effective way to increase airflow. However, these do pose one slight drawback. Fans, no matter how large or powerful, can only push the air around; they do not cool it down. To help improve both airflow and temperature, the best solution is to pair industrial fans with intake wall fans or industrial louvers, which pull cooler air into the building. 

Cool Things Down Even More

Combine blistering summer heat with a sweltering working environment, and employee turnover due to working conditions will increase with the mercury. When outdoor temperatures reach extreme levels, even the best designed natural ventilation systems will struggle to provide adequate cooling. It is in these circumstances that it becomes even more important to stay compliant with the new heat regulations by providing additional breaks and designated cool-down areas. 

While this does drastically improve worker safety by preventing heat-related illnesses, the additional downtime can be just as costly as training a new employee. A more long-term solution is to cool the outdoor air as it enters the building through evaporative cooling systems, such as the DeltaStream, which can cool the incoming air by up to 30℉.

Get Customized Solutions for Optimal Results

After providing industrial ventilation systems since 1961, Moffitt has developed a keen understanding of thermodynamics and how a building’s layout, roofing, insulation, and construction influence its ability to naturally ventilate. This extensive experience allows us to develop the most efficient and cost-effective solutions for upgrading industrial ventilation. Because we understand the importance of becoming compliant with the newest heat regulations, we offer free on-site evaluations and custom ventilation designs that will ensure optimal performance and worker comfort to help reduce employee turnover.

To learn more or to schedule your free on-site consultation, please contact the ventilation experts at Moffitt today!