Industry, Utilities

Cooling Vest for Utility & Line Workers

Peak load. Storm response. 120°F+ field repairs. Clema is a sub-3-lb active cooling vest that works with a climbing harness. 8–12 hr with one battery swap, no ice, no water, no refill stops.

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Cooling vest for utility crews

Clema is a cooling vest for utility lineman and substation crews. Under 3 lbs. A full shift on one battery swap. Built for storm restoration and peak-load field work.

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The problem

Peak load and peak heat hit at the same time.

Heat dome

Demand and risk align

Heat events create the highest restoration demand and the worst working conditions simultaneously.

Arc-rated

PPE traps heat

Arc-rated PPE protects against electrical hazards, and compounds heat exposure on long field shifts.

No water

No refill mid-pole or mid-trench

Crews can't stop a restoration to swap ice or refill an evaporative vest. Cooling has to last the shift.

Overtime

Fatigue extends restoration

Heat-driven fatigue slows restoration timelines and adds overtime cost to already-strained budgets.

How Clema helps

Cooling that goes where the crew goes.

Clema moves with the lineworker up the pole, into the trench, and across the substation. Solid-state cooling in a sub-3-lb suspender form factor, hot-swap batteries that cover the full restoration shift.

  • 8–12 hrRuntime with one battery swap. Built for full restoration shifts.
  • Low-profileSub-3-lb suspender system, works with a climbing harness.
  • Harness-fitCompatible with climbing harnesses and tool belts.
  • No waterNo ice, no refilling. Works in any humidity.
  • 120°F+Tested for desert and peak-load conditions.

The business case

Faster restoration. Less fatigue. Lower exposure.

Reducing even a small percentage of heat-related stop-work during peak-load and storm response pays for itself quickly, well before a single serious heat-illness claim.

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$50K–$200K+ Potential cost of a single heat illness incident Workers' comp + OSHA + downtime
30–50% Output drop on peak-heat days Field productivity research
36M+ Heat-exposed workers in the US 2.4B globally, 640B labor hours lost annually

FAQ

Utility cooling: what crews ask first.

What is active cooling for utility crews?
Active cooling is battery-powered cooling that removes heat from the body continuously through a full field shift. Clema is a sub-3-lb solid-state system that works with a climbing harness and runs 8–12 hours per shift with one battery swap.
Can line workers wear cooling gear on long field shifts?
Yes. Clema is a sub-3-lb suspender system that works with a climbing harness and tool belt, with no bulk at the shoulders.
How does Clema help with storm restoration in extreme heat?
Heat domes and major storms increasingly overlap, and restoration often means several hot days back to back rather than one bad shift, exactly the pattern an independent review of consecutive-day heat mortality data ties to compounding risk. Clema delivers 8–12 hours of cooling with one battery swap so restoration crews can work through long shifts in 120°F+ conditions without ice or water support, reducing fatigue and extending effective work time.
Does Clema require water or refilling during a shift?
No. Clema is a battery-powered solid-state system. There is no ice, no water, and no refilling. Hot-swap batteries replace the entire ice-and-water logistics chain.
How does heat exposure affect utility crew productivity?
Worker output can drop 30–50% on peak-heat days, which directly extends restoration time and overtime cost during exactly the periods of highest customer demand.
What is the ROI on cooling gear for a utility company?
A single heat-related incident can cost $50K–$200K+ before litigation. Reducing even a small percentage of stop-work events during peak load and storm response can offset gear cost in a single season.
Can lineworkers wear a cooling vest at the pole top?
Yes. Clema is a sub-3-lb suspender design that works with a climbing harness without adding bulk that interferes with pole-top movement, pole-top rescue drills, or hot-stick work.
Does Clema introduce an electrical hazard in the field?
Clema does not change or replace any of the protective gear a utility crew already wears. The cooling system itself uses low-voltage battery power and does not introduce additional arc-flash risk inside the FR layer.
How does heat slow down storm restoration?
Heat-related fatigue extends restoration time and increases overtime cost. With output dropping 30–50% on peak-heat days, restoration windows that already stretch across multiple shifts get longer. Active cooling keeps crews moving through the high-heat hours that overlap with peak load.
Does the OSHA heat standard apply to utility work?
Yes. OSHA's proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention standard applies to outdoor utility work, and OSHA's National Emphasis Program for heat targets the sector. Many state-level rules also apply specifically to outdoor utility crews. See our OSHA heat standard guide.

Related guides

Keep reading.

Washington Heat Rule

A year-round rule. Even in November?

OSHA Heat Standard 2026

What does an inspector actually ask for?

Cooling Vest Types Compared

Which type still works at hour eight?

Frequently asked

Questions buyers ask before choosing a cooling vest.

Click any question to expand.

What is active cooling for utility crews?
Active cooling is battery-powered cooling that removes heat from the body continuously through a full field shift. Clema is a sub-3-lb solid-state system that works with a climbing harness and runs 8–12 hours per shift with one battery swap.
Can line workers wear cooling gear on long field shifts?
Yes. Clema is a sub-3-lb suspender system that works with a climbing harness and tool belt, with no bulk at the shoulders.
How does Clema help with storm restoration in extreme heat?
Heat domes and major storms increasingly overlap. Clema delivers 8–12 hours of cooling with one battery swap so restoration crews can work through long shifts in 120°F+ conditions without ice or water support, reducing fatigue and extending effective work time.
Does Clema require water or refilling during a shift?
No. Clema is a battery-powered solid-state system. There is no ice, no water, and no refilling. Hot-swap batteries replace the entire ice-and-water logistics chain.
How does heat exposure affect utility crew productivity?
Worker output can drop 30–50% on peak-heat days, which directly extends restoration time and overtime cost during exactly the periods of highest customer demand.
What is the ROI on cooling gear for a utility company?
A single heat-related incident can cost $50K–$200K+ before litigation. Reducing even a small percentage of stop-work events during peak load and storm response can offset gear cost in a single season.
Can lineworkers wear a cooling vest at the pole top?
Yes. Clema is a sub-3-lb suspender design that works with a climbing harness without adding bulk that interferes with pole-top movement, pole-top rescue drills, or hot-stick work.
Does Clema introduce an electrical hazard in the field?
Clema does not change or replace any of the protective gear a utility crew already wears. The cooling system itself uses low-voltage battery power and does not introduce additional arc-flash risk inside the FR layer.
How does heat slow down storm restoration?
Heat-related fatigue extends restoration time and increases overtime cost. With output dropping 30–50% on peak-heat days, restoration windows that already stretch across multiple shifts get longer. Active cooling keeps crews moving through the high-heat hours that overlap with peak load.
Does the OSHA heat standard apply to utility work?
Yes. OSHA's proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention standard applies to outdoor utility work, and OSHA's National Emphasis Program for heat targets the sector. Many state-level rules also apply specifically to outdoor utility crews.

Summer 2026, 500-unit first batch

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