Heat waves? Blame it on climate change. Summer temperatures are soaring globally. Europe is experiencing a scorching period. Many parts of Asia are experiencing their hottest months of the year. In the Middle East, scorching weather is an annual phenomenon.
So how do people cope in the summer, especially those who work outdoors? Doctors warn that regulating body temperature during heat exposure is crucial to preventing heat-related illness and death-a warning employers are taking seriously.
In some countries, including the UAE, midday breaks are mandatory during peak summer. But in industries where stopping work isn't an option, technology is stepping in to keep workers cool.
Cooling vests are growing in popularity, and for good reason. They use technologies like evaporative cooling, ice packs, or active ventilation to help regulate core body temperature. Athletes, firefighters, people with certain medical conditions, and outdoor workers all benefit from them. Here are some of the latest innovations.
Japan is seeing a surge in the popularity of workwear designed to protect against the heat. A new cooling vest-featuring fluid-circulating tubes to regulate body temperature-has been developed. Through independently developed liquid circulation technology, ice water circulates throughout the body through water pipes, cooling the body.
The England women's football team also adopted cooling vests during training in hot and humid Switzerland as they defended their European title. Across industries and continents, outdoor workers are finding relief in high-tech vests designed to withstand extreme heat. These aren't just fashion-forward wearables; they're a smart, sustainable response to the realities of a warming world.