Factors Associated With Heat Strain Among Workers at an Aluminum Smelter in Texas

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Occup Environ Med
• Personal Author:
  Dang, Bich N. ; Dowell, Chad H.
• Description:
  Objectives
  
  To determine the prevalence of heat strain and factors associated with heat strain among workers at an aluminum smelter in Texas.
  
  Methods
  
  Continuous core body temperature (Tc), heart rate, and pre- and postshift serum electrolytes, and urine specific gravity were measured, and symptom questionnaires were administered.
  
  Results
  
  Most participants (54%) had 1 or more signs of heat strain. Unacclimatized participants were significantly more likely to exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists–recommended Tc than acclimatized participants (88% vs 20%; P < 0.01). Participants who exceeded the Tc for their acclimatization status and/or exceeded the recommended sustained peak HR had a significantly lower body mass index than those who did not (27.6 vs 31.8 and 28.4 vs 32.4, respectively; P = 0.01).
  
  Conclusions
  
  Employees and management need to strictly adhere to a heat stress management program to minimize heat stress and strain.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adult Aluminum Article Body Temperature Electrolytes Female Heart Rate Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Humans Humidity Male Metallurgy Middle Aged Monitoring, Physiologic Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Prevalence Questionnaires Risk Factors Specific Gravity Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  J Occup Environ Med. 2014; 56(3):313-318.
• Pubmed ID:
  24458134
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4477521
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CRD7/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Place as Subject:
  Texas
• Volume:
  56
• Issue:
  3
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:447ac5c4def2952e9b54704198e37b80d1347870a4896020b1de8cf03485711c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/31737/cdc_31737_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 250.62 KB ]