One Change Helps Workers in Both Hot and Cold Extremes

One change helps workers in both hot and cold extremes

June 9, 2025
By Chuck Davis | Director of Sales, Safety, Health, and Sustainability Solutions

Can certain clothing protect against heat and cold stress?

Heat stress awareness is gaining traction in industries with prominent physical labor. People tend to think it’s all about hydration, but that’s not a magic answer to counter extreme temperatures. There’s more to it. For example, just imagine what a job is like at the top of a wind turbine.

It’s an 8-hour shift in an enclosed space with engines and gear components hundreds of feet in the sky. And that’s after workers make the climb with all their supplies and equipment. When they reach the nacelle, they’re already sweating, which isn’t ideal, no matter if it’s July or January.

So, a sweaty worker wearing flame-resistant (FR) clothing in a box facing temperature extremes? You can see why moisture wicking should be a part of the conversation on heat stress solutions.

This doesn’t just apply to wind turbines:

A worker in coveralls at a paint booth in August is at risk of heat stress.
A welder in a dump truck in December can experience both heat and cold stress alike.
And the processes in a rubber manufacturing plant put workers at risk of heat stress year-round.

These different environments showcase the danger heat and cold stress poses to workers. The goal, however, is still maximum productivity. So, how do we make it so people can work in these stressors without compromising safety or efficiency?

Here's what you do

One thing to focus on is proper clothing. A takeaway that can’t be ignored is this: The worker’s experience is critical when discussing heat and cold stress.

Let’s look back at the wind turbine worker, whose day starts with a 300-foot climb up into a nacelle. That environment, in the summer wearing FR garments saturated in sweat, means morale will suffer. It’s hard to do your job when you’re uncomfortable.

The answer? Switch clothes out for moisture-wicking apparel. Moisture-wicking material moves moisture (like sweat) away from skin to the outside of the fabric to evaporate. This helps manage heat stress and keeps workers dry and comfortable. It also helps with cold stress because it prevents sweat from freezing. This switch improves workers’ morale and productivity, regardless of the environment.

Organizations are making heat stress a top priority. Evolving regulations are now requiring hydration and time management to be addressed and included. With my clients, however, I often see conversations drifting to the benefits gained by improving the worker experience using proper apparel.

The worker experience must be prioritized when dealing with heat and cold stress. It’s about taking a comprehensive approach to manage risks toward workers’ well-being and productivity within the vast range of industrial environments. With these changes, you’ll see better morale, safety, and efficiency.

One change helps workers in both hot and cold extremes

Here's what you do

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