Keep these nice and dry with the following tips.
“Sweating slab syndrome” could fit right in with some of the unusual and esoteric names given to craft beers these days. In reality, though, sweating slab syndrome is something no craft brewery wants to hear uttered. It’s a serious issue for large industrial spaces that have to deal with a lot of moisture, and breweries fit the bill perfectly.
Sweating slab syndrome refers to the situation in which condensation on concrete floors can make them slippery and lead to serious injuries. Because the vast majority of industrial accidents fall into the category of slips, trips and falls — causing 15 percent of all accidental deaths in the workplace — sweating slab syndrome is nothing to take lightly for craft breweries.
Why sweating slab occurs
Sweating slab syndrome occurs when humidity in an industrial facility fluctuates between two extremes. This is typical in regions where the temperature can change significantly over the course of one day. When the warm, moist air in a facility comes in contact with a cold concrete floor, moisture from the air condenses on the surface, creating puddles of water that can make for a dangerous situation.
Not only does sweating slab syndrome create a situation where workers can slip and fall, but water pooling on the floor of a facility can have other consequences. For example, water that condenses on equipment can cause lubricants to sweat, making floors even slicker — potentially damaging the equipment. Excessive moisture on the floor of a facility also can lead to water damage to inventory and mold and mildew growth — creating health hazards and safety violations.
How to cure sweating slab
The situations created by sweating slab syndrome can be a nightmare for craft breweries, but it’s not a lost cause. There are many ways a craft brewery or other type of industrial facility can avoid sweating slab syndrome. These include creating better airflow through the building with the use of high-volume fans that keep warm air lower to the ground and prevent floors from becoming cold. A dehumidification system is another good investment facility managers can make to keep their buildings free of sweating slab syndrome. The accompanying infographic contains these and other ideas for fighting sweating slab syndrome in an industrial facility. Follow them, and you’ll help keep your facility safe and clean.
Nikki Heinkel is Marketing Manager for Go Fan Yourself, a company that manufactures patent-pending, industrial high-volume, low-speed fans for spaces in need of an energy-efficient air movement solution such as warehousing, manufacturing, agricultural and commercial facilities.
