Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 1 June 2016
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
- Vol. 41 (6 (Suppl. ), S148-S164
- https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0518
Abstract
Many physically demanding occupations in both developed and developing economies involve exposure to extreme thermal environments that can affect work capacity and ultimately health. Thermal extremes may be present in either an outdoor or an indoor work environment, and can be due to a combination of the natural or artificial ambient environment, the rate of metabolic heat generation from physical work, processes specific to the workplace (e.g., steel manufacturing), or through the requirement for protective clothing impairing heat dissipation. Together, thermal exposure can elicit acute impairment of work capacity and also chronic effects on health, greatly contributing to worker health risk and reduced productivity. Surprisingly, in most occupations even in developed economies, there are rarely any standards regarding enforced heat or cold safety for workers. Furthermore, specific physical employment standards or accommodations for thermal stressors are rare, with workers commonly tested under near-perfect conditions. This review surveys the major occupational impact of thermal extremes and existing employment standards, proposing guidelines for improvement and areas for future research.Keywords
This publication has 99 references indexed in Scilit:
- Reductions in labour capacity from heat stress under climate warmingNature Climate Change, 2013
- Emergency response technical work at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant: occupational health challenges posed by the nuclear disasterOccupational and Environmental Medicine, 2012
- Immune Responses to Exercising in a Cold EnvironmentWilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2011
- Urban and rural mortality rates during heat waves in Berlin and Brandenburg, GermanyEnvironmental Pollution, 2011
- Temperature and neuromuscular functionScandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2010
- Finger temperatures during military field training at 0 to −29°CJournal of Thermal Biology, 2004
- Changes in maximal cardiorespiratory capacity and submaximal strain while exercising in coldJournal of Thermal Biology, 2004
- The effects of different thermal environments on the physiological and psychological responses of firefighters to a training drillErgonomics, 1997
- Active microbreak effects on musculoskeletal comfort ratings in meatpacking plantsErgonomics, 1995
- Circadian control of body temperatureJournal of Thermal Biology, 1983