Patterns of Heat Strain Among a Sample of US Underground Miners

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bauerle, Timothy ; DuBose W ; Finley S ; Poplin G ; Victoroff T ; Yeoman, Kristin
• Description:
  OBJECTIVE: This study characterizes physiological measures of heat exposure among U.S. underground miners. METHODS: Core body temperature measured by using ingestible sensors during subjects' normal work shifts was categorized into four temperature zones: <37.5 degrees C, 37.5 degrees C to <38 degrees C, 38 degrees C to <38.5 degrees C, and =38.5 degrees C. RESULTS: On average, subjects changed temperature zones 13.8 times per shift. Temperatures increased above the recommended limit of 38 degrees C nearly 5 times per shift for an average of 26 minutes each episode. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike previous heat stress research that reported only maximum and mean temperature measurements, this analysis demonstrates a dynamic pattern of physiologic heat strain, with core body temperatures changing frequently and exceeding the 38 degrees C limit multiple times per shift. Further research is needed on the impact of multiple short-term, intermittent heat exposures on miners. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Mining Occupational Health Safety Temperature
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Core Body Temperature Body Temperature Heat Heat Exposure Heat Stress Miners Mining Physiological Factors Physiological Function Sensors Temperature Effects Temperature Measurement Underground Miners Underground Mines Underground Mining

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  SMRD - Spokane Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  212-218
• Volume:
  61
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054225
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2019 Mar; 61(3):212-218
• Contact Point Address:
  Kristin Yeoman, MD, MPH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 315 E. Montgomery Ave. Spokane, WA 99207
• Email:
  kyeoman@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8b104dcdd57f41db68f1add3f44ffffce0ceb4941fb1197767e7c1ca342cda8484d629271ae0a20feb3c40bef39aabcf07341fa147dea23285ca43be1da67d55
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227793/cdc_227793_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 328.80 KB ]