The Hidden Costs of Heat Injuries: Protect Workers with Swamp Coolers
Hot Working Conditions Result in Significant Medical Costs for Businesses and Employees
As temperatures continue to rise each year, more workers face devastating health risks from heat-related injuries. Each year, approximately 2,000 workers in the United States suffer fatal injuries due to hot working conditions, and an additional 170,000 individuals experience heat-related injuries on the job, leading to long-term disabilities.
The impact on injured workers and their families is immense, leading to a permanent reduction in quality of life and earning ability. However, these injuries are entirely avoidable if businesses take the necessary steps to provide a cool, safe working environment.
Beyond the emotional toll, heat-related injuries have significant financial consequences for businesses and employees. Businesses must understand these costs when developing a heat illness prevention plan.
Costs to Your Business of Employee Heat-Related Injuries
Businesses incur a variety of costs associated with heat-related injuries, which fall into two categories: direct and indirect costs.
Direct Costs
- Medical expenses
- Workers’ compensation payments
- Legal expenses related to injury lawsuits
Indirect Costs
- Hiring and training replacement employees
- Lost productivity
- Implementing corrective measures to prevent future injuries
- Accident investigation
- Employee absenteeism costs
On average, businesses spend $53,589 per incident. If a lawsuit results in a judgment against your business, these costs can rise drastically. Additionally, workers’ compensation premiums may increase with numerous claims.
OSHA’s $afety Pays Program offers an online tool to estimate the financial impact of a heat-related injury on your business. By selecting “Heat Prostration” from the “Injury Type” dropdown menu, you can see costs specifically related to heat injuries.
Costs to Workers Are Even More Dire
While businesses face significant costs, the financial hardships on injured workers are even greater, particularly for low-income workers. According to Public Citizen:
- Over 60% of US workers live paycheck to paycheck.
- 78% of workers earning less than $50,000/year live paycheck to paycheck.
- The lowest-paid 20% of workers suffer five times as many heat-related injuries as the highest-paid 20%.
- Over 33% of low-wage workers lack the savings to cover one month of living expenses, and 16% can’t live for a week without income.
Recovery times for heat-related injuries range from several days to several months, leaving many workers unable to pay their bills. Long-term disabilities from heat injuries can force workers to explore new careers and incur retraining costs.
Additionally, medical costs can be steep. Studies show the average cost of inpatient care for heat exhaustion is $4,094, and for heatstroke, it's $7,453. Workers often face high medical bills even with insurance, and the costs are even more staggering for the uninsured.
Many workers’ compensation systems fail to cover these costs adequately. In most states, independent contractors, day laborers, and temporary employees aren’t eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Texas has particularly restrictive laws, where only government employers must provide these benefits.
These financial burdens can devastate injured workers and their families. Employers have a moral obligation to provide a cool working environment to minimize the risks of heat-related injuries.
Evaporative Coolers Are Ideal for Keeping Work Environments Cool
Air conditioning can be impractical or too expensive for many work environments. Evaporative coolers offer an effective, environmentally sustainable, and affordable solution.
Evaporative coolers use the scientific process of evaporation to drop air temperature significantly. Hot air is drawn over evaporative media, causing the water to evaporate and lowering the air temperature by up to 30°F. The cooler then distributes this air throughout your work environment, ensuring safe temperatures for your employees.
Benefits of Evaporative Coolers:
- Lower Installation Costs: Unlike air conditioning, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, evaporative coolers require no installation. Just plug in the cooler, and it’s ready to use.
- Lower Energy Bills: Air conditioning consumes up to seven times more electricity than evaporative coolers. Portacool evaporative coolers cost just over $1 per day on average to operate.
- Greater Environmental Sustainability: Evaporative coolers don’t use chemical refrigerants. Instead, they use water, making them the most environmentally sustainable cooling solution.
- Location-Specific Cooling: Portable evaporative coolers can be moved to where your workers are stationed, providing precise cooling where it’s needed most.
Visit SwampCoolers.com to explore our range of evaporative coolers and ensure a safe, cool working environment for your employees.
