(1987) 37 -46. Eight ph ysicalIy tra ined and eight untrained , una cclimated men walked on a treadmill at 30 010 of their maximum oxygen consumption up to 3.5 h in a the rmoneutral [20°C / 40 010 relative humid ity {RH) J, a warm hum id (30°C /8 0 % RH), and a hot dry (40°C I2 0 010 RH ) environment while wearing indu str ial work clothing. Their oxygen consumption, rectal and skin temperat ures, sweat ing, card iac output, hea rt rate, stroke volume, and peripheral blood pressure were measured du ring the tests . Thirteen of the 32 heat stress tests were prematurely stopped du e to high rectal temperature, high heart rate, subjective fa tigue, or heat syncope . The physiological str ain, as indicated by the rectal tempe ratur e and heart rate, was not significantl y different between th e warm humid and hot dr y environmen ts (wet bulb globe temperature -28°C). Th e rectal temp eratur e and heart rat e responses of the physicalIy train ed and untrained subjects did not diff er in any of the environments . In th e heat, the heart ra te was significa ntly higher than in the thermoneut ral environm ent , but becau se of the markedly redu ced stroke volume the average ca rdiac output was not differen t between the three environ ments. The impaired work perform an ce in the hea t seemed mainly to be related to the circulat ory instability accompanying the increased cuta neous circulation .Key terms: bod y temp erature, central circulation, heat stress indices, hot dry environment, peripheral circulati on , physical fitn ess, prol onged exercise, sweating, warm humid environment, work perform an ce.