New Products
Cooling station gives field workers relief from heat
A new The patent-pending Cooling Station, a new self-contained mobile heat-relief facility, is designed to help prevent heat illness among farm workers and others exposed to high heat and humidity while working outdoors.
“There’s nothing else like it on the market, says Garth Patterson, president of Heat Relief Solutions, Napa, Calif., which designed the unit.
“It provides employers and workers a level of safety unheard of until now. Insurance companies, universities and safety organizations agree that the Cooling Station is a great addition to worker safety in outdoor employment.”
Heat illness, caused by the body’s inability to cope with heat and cool itself, can include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, fainting and heat stroke. It can even lead to death. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports several thousand deaths each year in the United States from the effects of heat.
“Prevention is the best defense against heat-related illnesses,” Patterson says. “Once a worker becomes ill from heat stress it can be too late.”
The Cooling Station meets shade and water requirements of California’s heat stress regulations (Title 8, Chapter 4, Section 3395, Heat Illness Prevention), which apply to all outdoor places. Adopted in 2006, it is the fi rst standard of its kind in the nation.
“In addition to protecting workers’ health, the Cooling Station can help protect growers from liability and civil law suits related to heat illness, if used properly,” Patterson says. In 2008 Cal/OSHA conducted more than 2,500 heat-related inspections and found more than 1,100 heat standard violations.
In one case in Lodi, fines from Cal/OSHA exceeded $250,000 and civil suits are expected to top $5 million.
During the fi rst half of 2009, Cal/OSHA ordered 10 employers in the agricultural industry to stop operations at outdoor worksites due to violations of the heat illness prevention standards that posed an imminent hazard for their employees. Over $45,500 in penalties were issued as a result.
The Cooling Station is constructed on a 16-foot, all-steel tandem axle trailer with a 7,000-pound GVW rating. “It is highway legal and built to withstand off-road use,” Patterson says.
The unit can carry a total of 300 gallons of potable water in two stainless steel water tanks, which also provide seats with backs for 12 people. Other features include an aluminum shade canopy, which lowers for transport and for closing up the trailer to discourage theft; a commercial two-stage oscillating fogging fan plus an optional satellite fan that can be used with a water misting pump up to 200 feet from the trailer; and two 10-gallon food-grade drinking water tanks with dispensers for large cups.
Power is provided by a 3000-watt Honda inverter generator with electric start. “It’s built for hours of continuous use and can run a computer without damaging it,” Patterson says.
The Cooling Station is also equipped with an on-demand water pump with pressureaccumulating tank. It provides water to an ANSI/ISEA-light exposure compliant shower and eye wash station; faucets and shower heads; a stainless steel sink with faucet, soap and paper towel dispenser and a ½-inch hose for fi lling the water tanks and washing off the deck.
On-board features also include highquality steel lockable storage spaces for fi rst aid materials, safety equipment, emergency response plans and the like and two 150- watt high pressure sodium work lights. Noslip steel steps swing up for transport.
A rear-mounted hitch receiver is another handy feature. “You can use it for towing other equipment, such as a portable shade canopy or toiler or another trailer,” Patterson says.
The Cooling Station is competitively priced.
Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the International Agri-Center and Farm Press when reprinting this item.
COOLING STATION |
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| COMPANY: | Heat Relief Solutions |
| CONTACT: | Garth Patterson |
| ADDRESS: | 3212 Jeff erson St Napa CA 94558 |
| WEBSITE: | www.heatreliefsolutions.com |
| E-MAIL: | heatreliefsolutions@yahoo.com |
| PHONE: | (707) 224-4060 |
| BOOTH SPACE: | H24 |
| New Products Pavilion: | GS20E |
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