In jobs where workers have to exert themselves in environments that expose them to extreme temperatures – either hot or cold – it is crucial that they have access to equipment that allows them to lower or raise their body temperature to avoid illness and injury.
Extreme heat and cold can not only cause physical damage, like dehydration, hypothermia, and heat exhaustion, but it can also take a toll on workers’ decision-making skills, alertness, and reaction time. There are many different types of personal cooling or heating equipment on the market, but a personal air cooler is one of the best for many reasons.
1. Works for heat or cold
Contrary to the specific name of the device, it is actually very versatile. Although it is called a personal air cooler, the air that flows through the vest can be made warm or cool, unlike other types of coolers or heaters which generally can only do one or the other.
Personal air coolers are fully functional for workers in both extremely hot or extremely cold environments. Compressed air is delivered through a tube that is attached to a belt on the vest. Using a special device, the user chooses whether they require heated or cooled air, and the air is then delivered consistently as long as they need it.
2. Airflow is consistent
Personal air coolers send a constant flow of cooled or heated air through the worker’s vest, unlike other types of personal heaters or coolers, which tend to be short-term solutions that eventually lose their cooling or heating abilities. In these cases, workers either need to go without a heating or cooling system, or they must locate another one to use.
Having constant airflow allows the workers to maintain a consistent temperature while they work, allowing them to maintain longer working hours without becoming exhausted, injured, or ill.
3. Portable
The personal air cooler is light, easy to transport and can be put on and taken off quickly. It simply slides on like any vest and attaches via Velcro. The air is delivered through a small hose that is removeable. The hose connects to a belt that goes around the vest. The hose and the connector are also very light, and do not inhibit the worker from moving about freely while they complete their job.
It also does not create any physical exhaustion due to carrying around a heavy device all day like some other cooling or heating equipment does.
4. The vest is not bulky
Also, unlike some other types of personal coolers or heaters, the personal air cooler is not bulky, which allows workers to wear it underneath whatever they usually wear during work, including any safety or protective equipment they may be required to wear.
Workers also keep their full range of motion due to the thin, light structure of the vest, meaning they don’t have to adjust the way they work to the bulkiness or discomfort of the vest. The vest is meant to provide additional comfort, and has therefore been designed to be as comfortable as possible in all regards.
5. Easy to maintain
The personal air cooler does not have many components to it, which means it is incredibly easy to maintain. There are no parts of the system that can break down or require maintenance. Periodically, users should clean their equipment to keep it from becoming damaged over time and for hygienic purposes. However one huge benefit of the personal air coolers is that the devices require no additional time or money once they are purchased in order to maintain them.
