Assessing efficacy of proposed safety headwear with an Android app interface in an environmental heat-stress surveillance application.

Abstract

Objectives. The present study aimed to analyze the prospective impact of wearable sensor-based safety headgear with an Android app interface in environmental heat-stress surveillance. Methods. The suggested prototype was examined under distinctive locations with individuals carrying out certain work activities. Results. Monitored thermal indices recorded higher heat exposures under the outdoor condition (with discomfort index [DI] > 32.1 °C) compared to indoors (DI 29 to <32 °C). A rise in users' physiological attributes was linked with the outdoor condition (engaged in heavy workload activity; with average skin temperature = 37.47 °C and eardrum temperature [a core body temperature indicator] = 38.14 °C), followed by the indoor moderate and light work tasks. The assessed heat-stress variables under the targeted environments showed significant variations (one-way analysis of variance, p < 0.01), suggesting that the proposed safety headgear was sensitive to the thermal work settings and the physical job task carried out. Conclusions. The developed Android app could enable users to assess heat-stress parameters monitored by the proposed safety helmet and keep them aware of thermal work ambience at a personal level. Implementing these kinds of interventions might be helpful in workplace heat-stress surveillance in a cost-effective manner, particularly in low and medium-income countries.