Heat exposure and productivity in orchards: implications for climate change research

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ebi K ; Fenske RA ; Hess JJ ; Krenz J ; Pan M ; Quiller G ; Sampson PD ; Spector JT
• Description:
  Recent studies suggest that heat exposure degrades work productivity, but such studies have not considered individual- and workplace-level factors. Forty-six tree fruit harvesters (98% Latino/a) from six orchards participated in a cross-sectional study in Central/Eastern Washington in 2015. The association between maximum measured work-shift Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGTmax) and productivity (total weight of fruit bins collected per time worked) was estimated using linear mixed effects models, adjusting for relevant confounders. The mean (standard deviation) WBGTmax was 27.9 (3.6) degrees C in August and 21.2 (2.0) degrees C in September. There was a trend of decreasing productivity with increasing WBGTmax, but this association was not statistically significant. When individual- and workplace-level factors were included in the model, the association approached the null. Not considering individual, work, and economic factors that affect rest and recovery in projections of the impacts of climate change could result in overestimates of reductions in future productivity and underestimate risk of heat illness. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Climate Change Hot Temperature Occupational Health Safety Temperature
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Workers Author Keywords: Climate Change Climate Change Climatic Factors Cross Sectional Studies Foodstuff Heat-related Illness Heat Exposure Heat Stress Hot Environments Productivity Temperature Effects Work Performance

  More +
• ISSN:
  1933-8244
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  313-316
• Volume:
  72
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049521
• Citation:
  Arch Environ Occup Health 2017 Nov; 72(6):313-316
• Contact Point Address:
  June T. Spector, Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195
• Email:
  spectj@u.washington.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington - Seattle
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20140701
• Source Full Name:
  Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health
• End Date:
  20180630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dd9682edc39417f3ec25c5b0126ca7750203b277ab3e53b5ea8f6503520991aa57faa4dff389627ebc03b5c076a3f7fa63bf5489e2d40add8751c5c3c2b62143
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203956/cdc_203956_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 904.87 KB ]