A new empirical approach for predicting heat strain in workers exposed to hot indoor environments

Workers in hot underground coal mines could develop heat-related illnesses, (especially skin, digestion and kidney problems), as compared to workers in non-hot mines. This study found severity of this situation by comparing heat illness symptoms, core body and skin temperature and kidney malfunctioning amongst workers of both types of mines. Ingestible thermometric pills (sending readings to Sensor Electronic Module every 15 s), skin temperature probes (connected to various body parts and sending readings to loggers) and laboratory analysis of pre- and post-shift samples of blood and urine, US-NIOSH-HETA-2012 sheet to survey symptoms, were used to collect data from 50 workers (25 from five hot mines (G1) and 25 from five non-hot mines (G2)). Two mine groups showed significant differences ( p-value <.001) regarding wet-bulb globe temperature, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity. The highest core body temperature was 38.8°C in G1 and 37.9°C in G2. In intra-group comparison for kidney functioning, post-shift samples showed haematocrit (%) was reduced to 43.6 ± 2.1 from 45.4 ± 1.4 in G1 and to 44.0 ± 2.9 from 45.0 ± 0.75 in G2, and estimated glomerular filtration rate was reduced from 100 ± 19 to 94 ± 0 mL/min/1.72 m2 in G1 and to 113 ± 15 from 115 ± 19a in G2 workers. The comparison showed hot mines could induce heat-related illnesses which would necessitate intervention to reduce exposure.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Workplace induced heat-related-illness and kidney disorders amongst coal cutters of underground mines

Ijaz,

Ahmad,

Akram

et al. 2024

“…1–3 A hot environment often results in heat stress, health symptoms and reduced productivity for people who are exposed to it. 4–7 Therefore, in recent years, many researchers have focused on heat-related problems caused by the hot environment in naturally ventilated buildings. 8–13…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[1][2][3] A hot environment often results in heat stress, health symptoms and reduced productivity for people who are exposed to it. [4][5][6][7] Therefore, in recent years, many researchers have focused on heat-related problems caused by the hot environment in naturally ventilated buildings. [8][9][10][11][12][13] Generally, indoor hot environment means high temperature (above 32 C) and high relative humidity (above 60%).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new evaluation index for indoor hot environment in naturally ventilated building with hot surface

Gao

Wang

et al. 2021

Indoor wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was extensively used to evaluate the indoor hot environment in a naturally ventilated building, but it does not consider the effect of air movement caused by the hot surface. A potential evaluation index, which is a difference between the mean radiant temperature and the air temperature (Δtr–a), was introduced to be integrated with the indoor WBGT to evaluate the indoor hot environment with hot surface. Subjective evaluation of the occupant's thermal perceptions and objective measurement of indoor physical parameters were carried out in a typical naturally ventilated room with hot surface ranged from 50°C to 250°C. The results show that the indoor air temperature, mean radiant temperature and WBGT were increased by 8.6°C–12.9°C, 11.2°C–29.7°C and 4.7°C–7.5°C, respectively, with participant's light activity, and by 9.9°C–13.5°C, 14.9°C–29.4°C and 5.7°C–8.0°C, respectively, with participant's heavy activity. Indoor air temperature was increased linearly with the indoor WBGT, whereas the mean radiant temperature was increased non-linearly with the indoor WBGT. Besides, the non-linear relationship between the occupant's thermal perceptions and Δtr−a coincided very well with those between occupant's thermal perceptions and indoor WBGT. This suggests that the Δtr–a may be a potential index to be integrated with the indoor WBGT for evaluating the indoor hot environment in naturally ventilated building with hot surface.

“…[1][2][3] The hot environments greatly influence workers' health and working efficiency. [4][5][6] Aliabadi et al 7 found that the dry bulb temperature was the most important factor that affects the human heat strain. Heat stroke occurrence, for example, increases exponentially at high temperature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cooling effect of a spray fan in an indoor hot environment

Meng

Yang

et al. 2020

The aim of this study is to evaluate the cooling effect of a spray fan in an indoor hot environment. An experimental workplace with a thermal environment of high temperature and radiation intensity was set up. The hot environment of the experimental workplace could not meet occupational health requirements when the heat source temperature exceeded 150°C. The effects of air velocity and relative humidity on the natural wet bulb temperature, black globe temperature and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were investigated. The maximum reduction of the WBGT was about 1.7°C, with an air velocity increase by 1 m/s. There was a notable cooling effect on the hot environment for low air velocities (e.g. 0–2 m/s), while the cooling effect only increased slightly for high air velocity (e.g. 2–5 m/s). We also found that the indoor WBGT declined by 0.2–0.8°C when the relative humidity was increased by about 10%. These results may provide guidance for reducing heat stress in industrial hot environment.