Iranian Association of Environmental Health (IAEH)
Abstract
Heat stress is a common health problem throughout industry. Any heat
stress evaluation requires some exposure assessment of climatic
conditions, especially air temperature, humidity, and speed, along with
the average temperature of the solid surroundings. In this paper
workplace environmental climatic parameters were measured and then
evaluated by Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, Corrected Effective
Temperature, Heat Stress Index, and Allowable Exposure Time indices
among 40 workers in a glass manufacturing unit in Tehran. Also, the
effect of available heat control devices on heat stress indices was
investigated. The results of this study showed that the obtained heat
stress index in individual section and press units is exceeded from 100
(in individual section unit: 302.6, in press unit: 283.6). Also, it is
found that the mean average of allowable exposure time in individual
section and press units were 13.15 and 12.26 minutes exposure for one
hour, respectively. No significant relationship was found between
environmental parameters in three parts of body regions (height of
head, abdomen and ankle) except for measured air velocity in both units
(P<0.007). Positive correlation was found between wet bulb globe
temperature, corrected effective temperature and heat stress index
indices, but negative correlation was found between allowable exposure
time and other indices. Mann Whitney non-parametric test revealed
significant relationships in wet bulb globe temperature, corrected
effective temperature, heat stress index and allowable exposure time
indices when metallic shield was used as heat absorber