It’s been a long time since commercial vehicles have been without air conditioning.
These days, it’s something we take for granted, and it’s something we often don’t think too hard about when it comes to the health and safety of commercial vehicle operators. But the the simple truth is that air conditioning is far more than a technology that keeps us cool during the summer and warm during the winter. The function and benefits of air conditioning run far deeper than that.
Maintaining good health
There’s a reason Australia is known as the sunburnt country. Hot temperatures occur throughout almost the entirety of Australia during summer, save a few select locations. When temperatures climb above 30° (sometimes into the high 40, low 50° range) and are accompanied by almost 100% humidity, the combination of heat and moisture in the air quickly makes working conditions difficult and even dangerous.
Hot and humid conditions cause us to lose water and our body temperatures to rise. If dehydration and high body temperatures mix, this can lead to extreme heat exhaustion or even cause heat strokes – which can lead to fatalities in some cases. Along with maintaining hydration through water or other comparable hydrating fluids, workers need to be able to stay out of the heat to avoid heat exhaustion. Even momentary exposure to the heat during summer can make certain people ill.
For commercial vehicle operators, whether they’re driving freight trucks, operating earth moving equipment, operating machinery out in the mines, or anything else of a similar nature, they are often in situations where they’ll have the sun on them for long periods of time – especially when driving in rural areas with wide open spaces where the sun cannot be hidden.
For all of these types of commercial vehicles, air conditioning systems can be installed if they aren’t already by default.
Comfort
Air conditioning isn’t just about ensuring drivers and vehicle operators can avoid heat exhaustion and a whole range of other heat-related health risks; it’s also about comfort. Health and safety laws require that all workers – regardless of their work environment – be comfortable. Even if you take health and safety requirements out the equation, comfort helps improve productivity.
The more comfortable a driver/vehicle operator is in his/her environment, the more productive he/she will be. While vehicles such as freight trucks may come with air conditioning as standard (at least in the driver area), other vehicles may need air conditioning custom-installed – this includes the sleeper cabins of trucks.
At Briskair, our specialty is installing A-grade air conditioning / climate control systems that promote health and comfort for commercial vehicle operators. If you’d like to learn more about our commercial vehicle air conditioning systems, visit our Contact page or call us on (07) 3277 0980.
