Evaluation of Heat Stress Level as a Modifier for Injury and Incident Rates During an Industrial Construction Project

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bernard T ; Hauck B
• Description:
  Objective: The objective of this study was to explore relationships between outdoor environmental temperatures and the total reported incident and injury cases over a 20-month period (Phase 1a) of a large industrial construction project located in Tampa, FL. Methods: The effects of heat stress levels were used as a modifier of incident and injury rates. The working hypothesis is that incidents and injury rates will show a marked increase with the changes in WBGT. Occupational health data consisting of incident, injury and illness records, total man hours was obtained from Walbridge. Results: It was discovered that around a WBGT of 25 degree C the rate of incidences observed appears to increase (p= 0.08). The findings of this study with a p-value = 0.08 were approaching statistical significance (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: Although the results of this study did not achieve statistical significance, the resultant apparent increase in incidences at a WBGT around 25 degree C, is consistent and within close proximity to Ramsey's and Morabito's findings. While heat stress prevention should be an on-going practice during construction activities, careful consideration and a heightened heat stress prevention awareness and policy program should be implemented as temperatures approach a WGBT of 25 degree C. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Men Occupational Health Preventive Medicine Safety Temperature Women Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Heat Stress Level Construction Heat Heat Stress Humans Injuries Occupational Safety And Health Outdoors Outdoor Workers Preventive Measures Stress Temperature Effects Work Environment Workers

  More +
• Publisher:
  University of South Florida (USF)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Florida ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064155
• Citation:
  Sunshine ERC Research Poster Session/USF Health Research Day, February 23-24, 2012, Tampa, Florida. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida (USF), 2012 Feb; :11
• Contact Point Address:
  Mike Harari, Florida International University
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  Sunshine Education and Research Center, University of South Florida
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Sunshine ERC Research Poster Session/USF Health Research Day, February 23-24, 2012, Tampa, Florida
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a3781c689d30e3d81e7d63f4bb01857a5a1dd1b4e0a0a00ee2c7ea02951903a51c0804d1401599c319314fda9dbebbf3bb1ae288572acc940bae1eb04da0c3db
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222663/cdc_222663_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 80.97 KB ]