Summer Poses Additional Risks for HVAC Contractors

Numerous perils make working as an HVAC contractor a dangerous occupation. You can find many of the hazards they face outlined in our post titled Identifying & Preventing Common HVAC Contractor Injuries. 

The summer months bring hot, humid weather to most of the U.S., including the Northeast. Hot weather stresses HVAC systems with the heaviest loads of the year. Long days of intense heat add extra strain and increased danger for the HVAC techs who install and fix air conditioners.   

Common Physical Ailments HVAC Contractors Face

Extreme summer heat is the primary cause of most physical ailments that afflict contractors who work on air-conditioning systems. The list of debilitating heat-related ills includes dehydration, fatigue, exhaustion, fainting, heat stroke, heat cramps, and rashes. Any one of those conditions can cause distractions that lead to accidents. 

The first signs of overheating are dehydration, fatigue, and exhaustion. Those symptoms lead to worse adverse physical conditions such as fainting, heat stroke, heat cramps, and heat rashes if they are not addressed quickly. Besides producing potentially dangerous physical reactions, scorching temperatures will also impair mental capabilities.

If a contractor is neither feeling well nor thinking straight, they become accident-prone. Overheating causes adverse physical conditions that can progress fast in the worst cases. When your insurance coverage steps in to handle claims arising from worst-case scenarios, typically all involved appreciate the extent of how a professionally administered NJ HVAC Insurance program protects them. 

Everything Heats Up in the Summer 

Summer is not always the time to relax, as those vacation ads show. Everyone is in a hurry to get to work or home, take off for the beach, or go on vacation. Then heat waves hit and push HVAC units to their limits. Things start breaking, and tension goes up for everyone. 

Customer anxiety and sometimes ill tempers place added stress on HVAC contractors. Provide them with valuable tips for handling distraught customers. For example, most often, acknowledging a client’s frustration will lower their aggravation considerably.

When You Have Their Back They Will Have Yours

Some businesses train employees to respond to a customer’s thanks with “You’re welcome. It’s my pleasure” because it creates vast goodwill. You can instruct your employees to use simple, effective communication that acknowledges their pain and assures them help is underway. Saying “I’m sorry for the inconvenience and understand how you feel. We’ll get this working as quickly as possible” is often all it takes to relieve tension. 

Let your technicians know you are there for those situations when a customer is overwrought. Have them refer to you or your office manager to handle their unyielding complaints and questions. You want them to be polite and courteous but not to bear the brunt of a dissatisfied customer. When they know you have their back, they will have yours.

Lead by Example

Workers will follow your example. It’s more vital for them to watch what you do than listen to what you say. When you insist on job safety and walk the talk, you demonstrate your beliefs, and your message will make an impact. 

It’s essential to provide training to remind HVAC workers of the dangers present on job sites. Additionally, providing them with coolers, water, ice, and Gatorade, or its equivalent, along with the encouragement to hydrate frequently and take breaks as needed, is very helpful in demonstrating your intention to provide safe working conditions.  

Know the Current Situation Your Techs Face 

Use your knowledge of places where you and your company have done prior service to make safety suggestions for your technicians. When extreme weather heightens conditions and contractors work in cramped or otherwise potentially unsafe situations, it is good to discuss how they will perform the work. 

Work with them to visualize the process and the steps, including appropriate safety measures, that the job requires. When your techs recognize your genuine concern, they are more likely to adhere to safety protocol and your specific instructions to work safely. 

Cover Your Assets

Insurance is a means of sharing risks and avoiding devastating losses that would otherwise cripple or bankrupt your business. A comprehensive NJ HVAC Insurance program safeguards your business operations and assets from claims and settlements that arise from the risks built into your HVAC business.  

The HVAC insurance specialists at Dickstein Associates Agency are ready to provide you with a comprehensive, competitively priced program specific to your HVAC operation and exposures. Our goal is to help you keep your employees safe because it is good for them and is a key to a low claims experience that unlocks competitive premiums.

About Dickstein Associates Agency

Dickstein Associates Agency has distinguished itself as a leading provider of personal and business insurance in the tri-state area for over 55 years. We pride ourselves on being advocates for our clients and providing them with quality and affordable coverages. As Trusted Choice™ independent insurance agency, we partner with various national and regional carriers, allowing for flexible and unbiased coverage for each client’s unique circumstances. For more information on how you can leverage all of your insurance to work best for you, and how we can secure the best insurance in the marketplace based on your specific needs and business objectives, contact us today at (800) 862-6662.