Effects of Heat Strain on Cognitive Function Among a Sample of Miners

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker B ; DuBose W ; Eiter B ; Honn K ; McMurry T ; Poplin G ; Weakley A ; Yeoman, Kristin
• Description:
  Heat stress is associated with workplace injuries, likely through a combination of fatigue, reduced cognitive function, and thermal discomfort. The purpose of this study was to evaluate four cognitive tasks for sensitivity to heat stress. Eight participants performed treadmill exercise followed by assessments of serial reaction time (RT), Stroop effect, verbal delayed memory, and continuous performance working memory in an environmental chamber. A control (21.1 degrees C) trial, and "Hot 1" and "Hot 2" (both 37.8 degrees C) trials were run sequentially on two separate days to evaluate the four cognitive tasks. Heat strain (comparing Hot 1 and Hot 2 with the control trial) resulted in impairments in the serial RT test response and Stroop accuracy. Delayed memory was impacted only in the Hot 2 trial compared with the control trial. Given the demonstrated impact of heat on cognitive processes relevant to workers' real-world functioning in the workplace, understanding how to assess and monitor vigilant attention in the workplace is essential. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Fatigue Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Mining Nervous System Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Temperature Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Cognitive Cognitive Function Exposure Levels Heat Exposure Heat Stress Injuries Miners Monitors Physical Exercise Risk Factors Thermal Effects Work Environment Workers

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  0003-6870
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Virginia ; Washington ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  SMRD - Spokane Mining Research Division ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  102
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064863
• Citation:
  Appl Ergon 2022 Jul; 102:103743
• Contact Point Address:
  Kristin Yeoman, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 315 E. Montgomery Ave, Spokane, WA, 99207
• Email:
  kyeoman@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Ergonomics
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:73cb11b33cf6697cca45011859992cf3c084e2cd3f1b87fff5ab9db64dc3122be78fd4043ca3ba493ffffaa1eeff379cb90de63feb98e55d875470948b75fe3b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215541/cdc_215541_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.17 MB ]