Heat stress and strain in commercial construction workers in the summer: A pilot study.

IF 1.5 4区 医学 Q4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Jonathan W Specht, Serena A Garcia, Erica Tourula, M Jo Hite, Charlie Walker, Hillary A Yoder, David H Wegman, Jason Glaser, Zachary J Schlader, Fabiano T Amorim
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Abstract

Construction workers are 13 times more likely to die from heat-related illnesses than workers in other job industries. This elevated risk is attributed to excessive heat stress from environmental exposure, metabolic heat generated from physical labor, and the insulating effects of protective clothing. Levels of heat stress may vary across job types, reflecting the diversity of tasks performed and the work environment. Despite elevated risks, heat strain assessed by core temperature (Tcore) in construction workers during summertime in the United States has not been evaluated previously. Thirty-two construction workers (three females) were monitored over 3 summer workdays. Participants were categorized by job type (carpenter, concrete, laborer, roofer) and work environment (covered, uncovered). Heat index (HI), heart rate (HR), and Tcore were measured throughout the workday, while hydration was assessed through pre- and post-shift measurements of urine specific gravity (USG). Peak HI over the 3 days was 27.3, 35.2, and 33.7 °C, indicating the potential for low to moderate heat stress. Roofers experienced a higher peak HI compared to other job types (p < 0.01), but no differences were observed between workers in covered (28.8 ± 3.7 °C) and uncovered (32.1 ± 4.2 °C) areas (p = 0.37). The estimated peak metabolic rate was higher in workers in uncovered areas (868 ± 238 W) compared to covered (632 ± 130 W) (p < 0.01), with no differences among job types (p = 0.23). Forty-three percent of workers had Tcore exceeding 38.0 °C, with 4% exceeding 38.5 °C. Based on USG, 63% of workers began work dehydrated (1.022 ± 0.005), but urine did not become more concentrated during the workday (post-shift USG; 1.022 ± 0.007) (p = 0.78). Forward stepwise regression identified that peak metabolic rate plus post-shift USG were the combined variables most associated with peak Tcore (r2 = 0.55, p < 0.01). Construction workers, even in low to moderate environmental heat exposure, experienced significant heat strain, primarily due to an elevated metabolic rate. Environmental heat exposure and metabolic rate vary by job type and work environment.

夏季商业建筑工人的热应激和疲劳:一项试点研究。
建筑工人死于与热有关的疾病的可能性是其他行业工人的13倍。这种升高的风险归因于环境暴露造成的过度热应激、体力劳动产生的代谢热以及防护服的绝缘作用。热应激水平可能因工作类型而异,反映了所执行任务和工作环境的多样性。尽管风险升高,但在美国,建筑工人在夏季通过核心温度(Tcore)评估的热应变尚未得到评估。对32名建筑工人(3名女性)进行了为期3个夏季工作日的监测。参与者按工作类型(木匠、混凝土工人、工人、屋顶工人)和工作环境(有盖的、无盖的)进行分类。在整个工作日测量热指数(HI)、心率(HR)和Tcore,而通过轮班前和下班后测量尿液比重(USG)来评估水合作用。3天内的峰值HI为27.3、35.2和33.7°C,表明可能存在低至中度热应激。与其他工作类型相比,屋顶工人的HI峰值更高(p p = 0.37)。估算的峰值代谢率在未覆盖区域(868±238 W)高于覆盖区域(632±130 W) (p p = 0.23)。43%的工人的Tcore超过38.0°C, 4%的工人超过38.5°C。根据USG, 63%的工人开始工作时脱水(1.022±0.005),但在工作日期间尿液没有变得更集中(轮班后USG;1.022±0.007)(p = 0.78)。正向逐步回归发现,峰值代谢率和移位后USG是与峰值Tcore最相关的组合变量(r2 = 0.55, p
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来源期刊
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 环境科学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生
CiteScore
3.30
自引率
10.00%
发文量
81
审稿时长
12-24 weeks
期刊介绍: The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene ( JOEH ) is a joint publication of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA®) and ACGIH®. The JOEH is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to enhancing the knowledge and practice of occupational and environmental hygiene and safety by widely disseminating research articles and applied studies of the highest quality. The JOEH provides a written medium for the communication of ideas, methods, processes, and research in core and emerging areas of occupational and environmental hygiene. Core domains include, but are not limited to: exposure assessment, control strategies, ergonomics, and risk analysis. Emerging domains include, but are not limited to: sensor technology, emergency preparedness and response, changing workforce, and management and analysis of "big" data.
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