Estimating Occupational Heat Exposure From Personal Sampling of Public Works Employees in Birmingham, Alabama

Overview

Journal J Occup Environ Med

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2019 Apr 16

PMID 30985616

Citations 6

Authors

Suwei Wang

Molly B Richardson

Connor Y H Wu

Carly D Cholewa

Claudiu T Lungu

Benjamin F Zaitchik

Julia M Gohlke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated whether using thermometers clipped on workers' shoes would result in different heat exposure estimation and work-rest schedules compared with using area-level meteorological data alone.

Methods: Alabama workers (n = 51) were individually monitored using thermometers on shoes. Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was estimated using thermometer temperatures (WBGT [personal]) or nearby weather station temperatures (WBGT [WS]). Work-rest schedules were determined from WBGT, clothing, and hourly metabolic rates estimated from self-reported tasks and bodyweight.

Results: The percent of hours exceeding the threshold limit value (TLV, ACGIH, Cincinnati, OH) were estimated at 47.8% using WBGT (personal) versus 42.1% using WBGT (WS). For work-rest recommendations, more hours fell into the most protective schedule (0 to 15 min work/45 to 60 min rest) using WBGT (personal) versus WBGT (WS) (17.4% vs 14.4%).

Conclusions: Temperatures from wearable thermometers, together with meteorological data, can serve as an additional method to identify occupational heat stress exposure and recommend work-rest schedules.

Citing Articles

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Occupational heat exposure and the risk of chronic kidney disease of nontraditional origin in the United States.

Chapman C, Hess H, Lucas R, Glaser J, Saran R, Bragg-Gresham J Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2021; 321(2):R141-R151.

PMID: 34161738 PMC: 8409908. DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00103.2021.

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