Risk of Heat Related Illness in Latino Agricultural Workers: Core Body Temperature and Work Task

Details

• Personal Author:
  Armitage T ; Castro J ; Mitchell D ; Schenker M
• Description:
  Introduction: Environmental heat and work-rate are risk factors for Heat Related Illness (HRI). Work-rate by task and core temperature have not been quantified in California farmworkers. Methods: Farmworkers were monitored for one work-shift each in the summers of 2014-2015. Individuals' core temperature was assessed throughout the shift using an ingestible sensor, a 3 min moving average computed and maximum temperature identified. Accelerometers were worn, and NHANES criteria used to classify counts per minute (cpm) into sedentary, low, moderate and vigorous activity. Daily work-rate was categorised by the number of minutes spent in moderate and/or vigorous activity (<30, 30 to 90,>90). Questionnaires administered in Spanish collected occupational tasks conducted and self-rated environmental heat exposure. Results: 499 Latina/o farmworkers performed only one task on their shift. The mean activity in cpm was highest for tree/vine harvesters 445 (SD 225) and lowest for produce sorters 193 (SD 167). 22 workers recorded a maximal core temperature >38.5 degrees C, a criteria for heat stress in acclimatised workers. In a multivariable logistic regression high body temperature was associated with both the number of minutes working at a moderate/vigorous rate and self-rated environmental heat; OR and (95% CI) for >=90 v<90 min high activity 3.6 (1.5-8.5). Irrigators were the only classification with statistically significant association with elevated core temperature; OR and (95% CI) 3.7 (1.4-9.6). Conclusion: Farmworkers, who exceed 90 min a day in moderate/vigorous activity and/or irrigators, are at higher risk of HRI. These workers may need closer monitoring for their safety. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Farmers Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Activity Levels Agricultural Workers Body Temperature Farm Workers Heat Exposure Heat Stress Outdoor Workers
• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  74
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062231
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 2017 Aug; 74(Suppl 1):A68-A69
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of California - Davis
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Epidemiology in Occupational Health EPICOH 2017, Eliminating Occupational Disease: Translating Research into Action, August 28-31, 2017, Edinburgh, UK
• Supplement:
  1
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2d57948a1f850b468f70fd77758156b1cbb5791333e066afd04307128c0c099b56b93f78db905b09e596a537df682ec863588c564893e1f5011cfaa0861e0c26
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225522/cdc_225522_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 79.94 KB ]