The effects of heat stress on air force employees conducting fuel cell maintenance activities on air force jets

Details

• Personal Author:
  Krake, Ann M. ; Krake, Ann M.
• Description:
  The degree to which metabolic responses occur in reaction to hot environments differs per individual; however, when any human body is exposed to heat and the internal (core) body temperature rises, the body must rid itself of the excess heat. It does this automatically by increasing cardiac output and expanding larger blood vessels to accommodate the increased flow. This heat-stress-induced increase in the body's metabolism is potentially a confounding variable in the association between jet fuel constituent metabolism and performance and health measures. Of the 324 persons who completed the study, a total of 140 employees, not including those at Dyess AFB, were monitored for core body temperature as well as other measures of metabolic activity including skin and ear temperatures, heart rate, and gross motor activity. These measurements of heat stress and heat strain are being compared to some of the many heat stress guidelines that have been developed to protect people against heat-related illnesses. The objective of any heat stress index is to prevent a person's core body temperature from rising excessively; the World Health Organization concluded, "It is inadvisable for deep body (core) temperature to exceed 38 degrees celsuis (100.4 degrees fahrenheit) in prolonged daily exposure to heavy work. NIOSH guidelines also use a maximum core body temperature of 38 degrees celsius as the basis for their environmental criteria. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) offers additional physiological guidelines, as well. For individuals with normal cardiac performance, sustained heart rate should not exceed 180 beats per minute minus age; the core temperature of unacclimatized workers should not exceed 38 degrees celsius (100.4 degrees fahrenheit), while the core temperature of those workers who are accustomed to the work environment (acclimatized) should not exceed 38.5 degrees celsius (101.3 degrees fahrenheit). Finally, a worker should not experience profuse and prolonged sweating or symptoms of sudden and severe fatigue, nausea, dizziness, or lightheadedness, or lose more than 1.5% of body weight over the shift. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Blood Cardiovascular System Energy Metabolism Environmental Exposure Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Aviation Blood Vessels Body Temperature Cardiac Function Environmental Exposure Exposure Levels Heart Rate Heat Heat Exposure Heat Stress Hot Environments Jet Engine Fuels Jet Exhausts Metabolism Monitors Physiological Effects Physiology Risk Factors

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• Publisher:
  Air Force Institute for Operational Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Book ; Book
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  97-99
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048829
• Citation:
  JP8: final risk assessment. Kendall RK, Smith E, eds. Brooks City-Base, TX: Air Force Institute for Operational Health, 2001 Aug; :97-99
• Editor(s):
  Kendall RK; Smith E ; Kendall RK; Smith E
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  JP8: final risk assessment
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c90d21e2322c5a7f077beff00a64b8de40cf0227c4d54d19e355bf892e16c2e507e516214724882ff90d10c0966e5f52e1409118a00fde898f0da13ec22e3c00
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203460/cdc_203460_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 556.55 KB ]