Predictive Models with Pre-Cooling Interventions Can Minimize Heat Stress in Firefighters

Details

• Personal Author:
  Aljaroudi A
• Description:
  Objectives: The objectives of this pilot study were: i) develop a data driven model that can be used to predict if a firefighter would cross the threshold of industrial hyperthermia (core body temperature - CBT > 100.4 OF) during live-fire training, and ii) pilot test the utility of this model by implementing a proactive intervention: precooling to keep firefighters' CBT within "safe" limit. Design: A cross-sectional design was used in this study in order to test the utility of this model by implementing a proactive intervention: active pre-cooling to keep firefighters' CBT within "safe" limit. The independent variables are the amount of heat/cold exposure and physical activities. The dependent variables are the physiological responses (CBT,HR). Methods: Twenty-eight full time firefighters' CBT and heart rate (HR) were measured real time while undergoing a live-fire training consisting of three scenarios (Sc1, Sc2 and Sc3). Classification trees (CT) were used to predict the outcome variable (firefighter crossed the upper threshold of hyperthermia - Y/N). The predictor variables were: age, body mass index, baseline CBT, baseline HR and duration of each scenario. Three CT models were developed, one for predicting CBT response after each scenario. Twenty-eight CTs were developed by randomly leaving out one firefighters' data in each CT to assess the model's efficacy using "leave-one-out" method. Success rate was calculated as: 100*(number of correct classifications)/28. As a proactive intervention application, we first identified a firefighter who would reach hyperthermia as per the model and his CBT was predicted with a regression tree (RT). The firefighter was cooled (using a cooling vest) before the scenario for 14 minutes. Results: The success rate of CT models for Sc1, Sc2 and Sc3 were 43%, 61% and 89%, respectively. The CBT predicted using RT (101.35 degrees F) was higher than that observed after cooling (100.49 degrees F). Conclusions: The predictive model was successful for Sc3, moderately successful for Sc2 and unsuccessful for Sc1. We piloted the utility of predicting CBT response of firefighters through early identification of a firefighter with high risk of entering hyperthermia and implementing proactive cooling to reduce the CBT. Predictive models with pre-cooling interventions can minimize heat stress in firefighters. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Firefighters Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Occupational Health Safety Temperature
• Keywords:
  Body Temperature Fire Fighters Heat Stress Hyperthermia Intervention Effectiveness Thermal Effects
• Publisher:
  University of Cincinnati
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052505
• Citation:
  15th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium, University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center, October 9-10, 2014, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati, 2014 Oct; :1
• Email:
  aljaroai@mail.uc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  15th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium, University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center, October 9-10, 2014, Cincinnati, Ohio
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8cef33af0dfba69805bcb2c14311a973baffb28660b9e114355519a65364eb4882c1b9b7d197379d0eda6b9173cb9f685c19aa8b1e7c2d2ca7ae7eda817d2f34
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/212019/cdc_212019_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 66.17 KB ]