SAFETYLIT WEEKLY UPDATE

We compile citations and summaries of about 400 new articles every week.
RSS Feed

HELP: Tutorials | FAQ
CONTACT US: Contact info

Search Results

Journal Article

Citation

Park J, Kim Y, Oh I. Ann. Occup. Environ. Med. 2017; 29: e30.

Affiliation

Environmental Health Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s40557-017-0183-y

PMID

28670460

PMCID

PMC5492346

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objectives of the present study are to: (i) evaluate the effect of environmental and metabolic heat on heat-related illnesses in outdoor workers; and (ii) evaluate the effect of personal factors, including heat acclimation, on the risk of heat-related illnesses in outdoor workers.

METHODS: We identified 47 cases of illnesses from exposure to environmental heat in outdoor workers in Korea from 2010 to 2014, based on review of workers' compensation data. We also obtained the information on location, time, and work environment of each heat-related illness.

RESULTS: Our major results are that 29 cases (61.7%) occurred during a heat wave. Forty five cases (95.7%) occurred when the maximum estimated WBGT (WBGTmax) was equal to or greater than the case specific threshold value which was determined by acclimatization and metabolic rate. Twenty two cases (46.8%) were not acclimated to the heat. Thirty-seven cases (78.7%) occurred after tropical night (temperature above 25 °C), during which many people may find it hard to sleep.

CONCLUSION: Personal risk factors such as heat acclimation as well as environmental factors and high metabolic rate during work are the major determinants of heat-related illnesses.


Language: en

Keywords

Acclimation; Heat wave; Heat-related disease; Outdoor; Tropical night; Workers

NEW SEARCH


All SafetyLit records are available for automatic download to Zotero & Mendeley
Print