Behind all the even operation of the metro are employees in the control rooms, ticket booths, and access control zones, who are usually subjected to the increasing heat produced by electronic devices, tight enclosures, and inadequate ventilation. This subjects the staff to serious health and safety risks such as exhaustion and lack of concentration in safety sensitive jobs. Evaporative cooling can be used as one of the solutions to metro staff cooling as it offers a healthy environment to subway workers by circulating fresh air and regulating temperatures. This article discusses the challenges involved, operation of the evaporative systems and the end result of safer and compliant workplaces by the public transport operators.
Cooling Challenges for Metro Staff
The metro personnel areas pose some special cooling challenges which affect operation and welfare of the staff on daily basis.
- Control Rooms: These sections are full of monitors, computers, and electronics, which create a lot of heat which are usually above acceptable levels.
- Ticket Booths: Small, glass-enclosed interiors that commuters are in all the time and are not allowed to leave traps heat and restricts air flow further worsening the condition.
- Security and Staff Rooms: They are usually underground or in low ventilated places; hence affected by stale air and high humidity.
Such circumstances increase the risk of heat stress, fatigue, and loss of concentration, which may result in monitoring train-timetable errors or in emergency management. The OSHA heat stress guidelines indicate that indoor temperatures exceeding 80F can result in cognitive impairment, and WHO guidelines recommend that to ensure occupational health in metro areas, the environment needs to be properly ventilated. According to OSHA data, heat-related factors are a cause of thousands of workplace-related incidents each year, and productivity declines by 2-4 percent per degree above the comfort zone (around 68-75 o C). As a metro operator, it is imperative that they can deal with these issues, which will result in safe cooling in the transport system.
How Evaporative Cooling Works for Staff Zones
Evaporative cooling provides an energy efficient alternative to traditional HVAC as it can be used in metro staff localized locations. This is done by bringing in warm air by the use of water moistened pads whereby natural evaporation cools the air and fresh filtered air is usually pumped into the space. This helps to keep the temperatures constant and low without excessively drying the air thus it is perfect in the control room cooling and staff zone ventilation.
Compared to large HVAC systems, which need a lot of ducting and consume a lot of energy, evaporative coolers are either portable or fixed and would fit small and enclosed spaces such as a ticket booth. They use as little as 80 percent of the energy and they offer commuter station workers in the eco-friendly comfort, and they become in line with the sustainability objectives in the public transportation. KoolAir relies on its experience of industrial grade evaporative systems to guarantee the reliability of its operation and provide high volumes of air flowing according to the metro conditions.
Health & Safety Benefits for Subway Workers
Reducing Heat Stress
Evaporative cooling is also a direct response to heat stress, reducing ambient temperatures by 15-20 o F when dry, which greatly decreases the chances of fatigue, dehydration, and heat strokes. To control room personnel responsible to operate in real-time, it implies to maintain alertness and reduce health complaints, which leads to an increased level of health of subway workers.
Improved Air Quality
Evaporative systems in confined ticket booths and staff rooms bring fresh outdoors air, which dilutes CO 2 accumulation and commuter traffic indoor pollution. The filtration by pads is natural which helps in eliminating dust and allergens resulting in healthier breathing environment which is vital in occupational health in metro settings.
Worker Productivity & Focus
The comfortable weather ensures that it is easy to focus particularly in positions where there are high stakes such as guarding. According to research conducted by WHO, optimum cooling has the ability to increase output by up to 10% and reduce the occurrence of errors and promotion of safe cooling systems to public transport employees.
HR & Operational Benefits
Reduced Absenteeism & Sick Leave
Through alleviation of heat diseases, evaporative cooling results in a reduced number of sick days- it may reduce absenteeism by 20-30 percent during hot seasons. This will mean savings of HR money in temporary replacements and continuity in operations of metro stations.
Employee Retention & Morale
The staff is more satisfied with a cooler and healthier workplace as the turnover in the industry is decreased. There is increased morale reported by Metro operators using evaporative solutions which makes them preferable employers as well as enhancing the comfort of commuter station workers.
Compliance & Risk Management
The evaporative cooling contributes to the compliance with OSHA heat exposure regulations and the ISO 45001 on occupational health, which minimizes the risk of liability in the cases. It shows a proactive control of risk, defending against fines and improving audit performance.
Case Example
In a large metropolitan metro a control room centralized in one location has KoolAir evaporative coolers installed due to heat overheating by electronic gadgets. After the implementation, employees have stated that the number of heat-related complaints decreased by 30 percent, and sick days declined by 25 percent. The quality of air became much better and complies with the WHO standards and enhances the efficiency of operations.
Equally, the comfort level of ticket booth workers in a busy commuter station improved following the addition of portable evaporative units resulting in reduced fatigue reports and improved interaction with customers. These are real-life examples of transit applications that evaporative cooling has been utilized in to make the staff zones into safer and more productive areas.
Best Practices for Implementing Evaporative Cooling in Metro Staff Zones
In order to optimize the cooling of staff in the metro:
- Evaluate High-Risk Areas: Priority should be on control rooms and ticket booths that have been heat mapped to determine hotspots.
- Choose the Right Units: Portable evaporative coolers are used in flexible booth construction and fixed evap system is used in permanent control room ventilation solutions.
- Combine with Existing Systems: Combine with exhaust fans to improve air movement and eliminate stale air.
- Maintenance Protocols: periodically wash filters and verify the quality of water to maintain the normal functioning and health standards.
The solutions by KoolAir can be easily integrated, as the company has decades of experience in the cooling of the public transport.
To learn more about platform cooling, see our blog post: Reducing Heat Stress in Metro Platforms. Browse our Metro Stations evaporative air coolers page to customise.
Conclusion
The employees of Metro are supported by the workforce and it is mandatory to provide safe and comfortable working areas for their health and performance. Evaporative cooling provides metro personnel cooling in the form of decreased heat stress, better air quality, and higher productivity besides guaranteeing compliance and efficiency of operation.
Avoidice KoolAir evaporative cooling systems in the metro staff areas. To make the workplace safer, order a cooling consultation in the workplace now.
FAQ
Why is cooling important for metro staff zones like ticket booths and control rooms?
Such spots tend to be hot and stuffy due to gadgets and lack of ventilation, which cause stress and health concerns. Safe temperatures and quality of air are maintained by effective cooling such as evaporative systems that recommend OSHA and WHO guidance.
How do evaporative coolers improve subway worker health and safety?
They cool the heat stress by pumping fresh cooled air, thinning the pollutants, and improving concentration- important to the health of occupants in the metro area.
Can evaporative cooling reduce absenteeism in metro staff operations?
Yes, it can reduce sick leaves by 2030% reducing heat related illnesses enhancing staff retention and continuity.