NIOSH’s “Prevent Heat-Related Illness” poster (publication number 2016-151) states “Wearing PPE increases your risk for heat-related illnesses”. While this is true in a general sense, it is somewhat of a paradox because it is also true that incorporating climate control into your employees’ PPE could be the most effective way of preventing heat-related illness. Any recommendations in this article are not to contradict the poster’s information, rather to be considered as further ideas to those mentioned.
Climate control in PPE refers to those PPE items that allow your employees to improve their body temperature and work comfortably. There are many forms of climate control in PPE; with some, their very purpose is climate control, while others are general items that can be used to aid with climate control.