HEAT STRESS

Body’s thermal regulation.

• MECH 1 : varying the rate and amount of blood
circulation through the skin.
• MECH 2 : Sweating onto skin by sweat glands.
 Heat Prone Work Areas

• iron & steel foundries

• non ferrous foundries
• bakeries
• mining sites
• Construction (out door)
Heat Stress is an aggregate of environmental and physical
work factors that constitute the total heat load imposed on
the body.

EVIRONMENTAL CAUSAL FACTORS

FACTORS • Age
• Air temperature • Weight
• Radiant heat exchange • Degree of physical fitness
• Air movement • Degree of acclimatization
• Humidity. • Metabolism
• Use of alcohol & drugs
• Clothing.
 SOURSES OF HEAT

• Internally generated metabolic heat

• Externally imposed environmental heat.

METABOLIC HEAT
Metabolic heat is a by-product of the chemical processes
occurring within the cells, tissues and organs.
 ENVIRONMENTAL HEAT

Influences the rate at which body heat can be exchanged with the
environment

H=M±R±C–E±D

where:  H  = body heat storage load

M = metabolic heat gain
R = radiant or infrared heat load
C =  convective heat load
E =  evaporative heat loss
D = conductive heat load.
 Heat stroke (HYPERPYREXIA)

 also called as MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

 Occurs : the rectal temperature is 41.0°C (105.8°F).

 CAUSE : work load + environmental heat load.

 The essential treatment is reduction of deep body

temperature to about 39.0°C but not lower - below this
level may produce a state of shock.
 Heat stroke (HYPERPYREXIA)

Symptoms Treatment
• Lack of sweating • Worker placed in a shady
• Hot dry skin area.
• Irritational behavior • remove outer clothing
• Confusion • Worker’s skin should be
• Loss of consciousness wetted.
• Convulsions • Increase air movement
around worker.
• Fluids should be
replaced.
 Heat exhaustion

• Mild form of heat stroke.

• Yields to prompt treatment

• Body temperature need not be abnormally high 38.0°C-

39.0°C (100.4°F–102.2°F)

• CIRCULATORY DEFICIENCY (HEAT SYNCOPE) occur

at levels of thermal stress less severe than those giving
rise to hyperpyrexia
 Heat exhaustion
Symptoms
• Tiredness
• Giddiness
• Sighing and yawning
• Shallow or irregular breathing
• Nausea or paradoxical cold
feelings
• Stumbling and a loss of motor
control
• Facial pallor with sometimes a
bluish tinge on the face
(cyanosis).
• Finally fainting or collapse.
Treatment
• Taking patient to cooler
conditions
• Taking rest in a recumbent
posture with the knees raised
or in a seated position with the
head down.
• Hypo hydration (fluid
replacement).
 HEAT CRAMPS

CAUSE
• Hard physical work in hot
environment
• Condition of salt depletion by
sweating.
• Lack of water replenishment.
SYMPTOMS
• Attacks of severe painful
spasm in limbs and
abdominal muscles may
last for several hours,
days or even weeks.

TREATMENT
• Correction of fluid electrolyte
imbalance
• Water replenishment
 HEAT COLLAPSE (FAINTING).

CAUSE SYMPTOMS
• Brain does not receive • Loss of consciousness
enough oxygen because
blood pools in the
extremities. TREATMENT
• The onset of heat • Acclimatization 
collapse is rapid and
unpredictable.
 HEAT RASHES

CAUSES SYMPTOMS
• Red papules Restrictive • "Prickly heat";
due to clothing. • tiny, raised, blister-like
• As sweating increases, rash.
these papules give rise to TREATMENT
a prickling sensation. • Heat rashes disappears
• heat rash papules may when the affected
become infected if they individual returns to a
are not treated. cool environment
 HEAT FATIGUE

CAUSE
• Lack of acclimatization

SYMPTOMS
• Impaired performance of skilled sensorimotor, mental, or
vigilance jobs

TREATMENT
• There is no treatment except to remove the heat stress
before a more serious heat-related condition develops. 
• Acclimatization.
 MEASUREMENT OF HEAT LOAD.

AIR TEMPERATURE
– Dry bulb temperature
– Wet bulb temperature
– Natural wet-bulb temperature
RADIANT TEMPERATURE
– Globe temperature
HUMIDITY
– wet and dry bulb temperature
AIR VELOCITY
– anemometers
– hot wire anemometers
– kata thermometer.
 THERMAL STRESS INDICES

• Effective temperature (ET) and Corrected effective

temperature (CET).

• Wet-Bulb globe temperature index (WBGT).

• Belding-Hatch heat stress index (HSI).

• Oxford index

• Predicted four-hour sweat rate (P4SR)

 EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE (ET) AND
CORRECTED EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE
(CET).
Effective temperature (ET) – Corrected effective
sensory index of warmth. temperature (CET)
combines
Combines • Air movement
• Air temperature (dry bulb • Humidity (wet bulb
temperature) temperature)
• Air movement • Radiant heat exchange
• Humidity (wet bulb (Black globe
temperature temperature).
 ET & CET

• Performance & productivity decreases if

(ET and CET) > 30.0°C (86°F)

For sedentary or light work: 30.0°C (86°)

For moderate work : 28.0°C
(82.4°F)
For heavy work : 26.5°C (79.7°F).
fully acclimatized individuals, the tolerable limits are increased about 2°C
(3.6°C).
( a WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION recommendation)
 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF
ET & CET
Advantages
• Extensively used in the field of comfort ventilation and air
conditioning.
• Useful measurement technique in mines where humidity
is high and radiant heat is low.

Disadvantages
• Doesn’t take metabolic heat production into account
• Not applicable for moderate and heavy work.
• Not applicable for environment which is very hot or
humid.
• Mostly used for comfort than for stress evaluation.
 WET BULB GLOBE TEMPERATURE
INDEX(WBGT).

• Origin : heat stress monitoring in military camps to

control heat causalities

WBGT combines
– Humidity (tnwb)
– Air temperature (ta)
– Radiant temperature (tg).
 WBGT

• WBGT calculated for indoor and outdoor conditions with no solar load.

WBGT = 0.7tnwb + 0.3tg

• For outdoors with a solar load, WBGT is calculated as

WBGT = 0.7 tnwb + 0.2 tg + 0.1 ta

 WBGT

• For continuous all day or several hour exposures

averaged over a 60 minute period.
• Intermittent exposures should be averaged over a 120
minute period.
These average should be calculated using the
following formula
 WBGT

TLV for environmental stress for operatives permitted to

rest for 25% of each time is

For sedentary or light work : 30.6°C (WBGT)

For moderate work : 28.0°C (WBGT)
For heavy work : 25.9°C (WBGT).
 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF WBGT

ADVANTAGES
• WBGT mainly used in enclosed environments.
• Measurements are few and easy to make
• Instrumentation is simple, relatively inexpensive and rugged
• Air velocity need not be measured since its value is reflected in the
measurement of tnwb.

DISADVANTAGES
• WBGT will not be a relevant index because evaporative cooling (wet
bulb temperature) will be limited due to impermeable clothing worn.
BELDING – HATCH HEAT STRESS INDEX
(HSI)
• HSI is an expression of evaporative heat loss required
for maintenance of thermal balance compared to
maximum evaporative heat loss.

• Ereq is the ratio of body’s heat load from metabolism,

convection and radiation to evaporative cooling of the
environment.

Disadvantages
• Because of its complexity this is not in common use.
 OXFORD INDEX

The oxford index is a relation between wet bulb

temperature and dry bulb temperature.

WD = 0.15ta + 0.85twb
 PREDICTED FOUR HOUR SWEAT RATE
(P4SR)
(P4SR) is a physiological index of thermal strain

P4SR values for tasks lasting about 4 hours

For acclimatized man P4SR = 4 litre

For unacclimatized man P4SR = 3 litre.
 CONTROL MEASURES FOR HEAT
STRESS
1. Acclimatization
• Acclimatization to hot temperatures is the result of
various processes by which the subject adapts
himself to living and working in climate which is hot
and humid.

Acclimatized subject exhibits

• Reduction of cardiovascular demands.
• Increased sweating causing better evaporative
cooling.
 FLUID REPLACEMENT

• Cool water (50°F–60°F) water or any cool liquid should

be frequently provided.
 ENGINEERING CONTROL

• Good ventilation
• Local exhaust ventilation at points of high heat
production
• Evaporative cooling or mechanical refrigeration.
• Fans provided for increased air movement
• Shielding provided for prime radiating surfaces.
• Insulation provided for elimination of leaks.
• Isolation, relocation, redesign of equipment or process.
 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL

• Acclimatization to heat
• Work- regimen designed to reduce peaks of stress.
• Distribution of workload over maximum time periods.