TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2020//
TI  - The heat death line: proposed heat index alert threshold for preventing heat-related fatalities in the civilian workforce
JO  - New solutions: a journal of environmental and occupational health policy
A1  - Maung, Zaw
A1  - Tustin, Aaron W.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - A threshold Heat Index (HI) can serve as the basis for advising the civilian workforce about the risk of heat-related illnesses. We conducted a systematic review and compiled reports of work-related fatalities from heat-related illnesses. We calculated the HI for each fatality. Our objective was to expand upon the military's concept of a "heat death line" and identify an HI alert threshold for the civilian workforce. We identified 14 publications totaling 570 heat-related deaths. In the meta-analysis, the median HI was 101 with a range of 62 to 137. Almost all deaths (96 percent and 99 percent of civilian and military fatalities, respectively) occurred when HI ≥80, which is our proposed heat death line. Some existing HI-based heat advisories are set at a higher temperature value. However, many occupational heat-related illnesses occur below these thresholds, resulting in low sensitivity and a false sense of security. In at-risk outdoor industries, HI ≥80 should trigger hazard awareness and protective actions.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1048-2911
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1048291120933819
ID  - ref1
ER  -