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- Morris, Nathan B., et al.
(författare)
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Sustainable solutions to mitigate occupational heat strain - an umbrella review of physiological effects and global health perspectives
- 2020
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Ingår i: Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-069X. ; 19:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Climate change is set to exacerbate occupational heat strain, the combined effect of environmental and internal heat stress on the body, threatening human health and wellbeing. Therefore, identifying effective, affordable, feasible and sustainable solutions to mitigate the negative effects on worker health and productivity, is an increasingly urgent need. OBJECTIVES: To systematically identify and evaluate methods that mitigate occupational heat strain in order to provide scientific-based guidance for practitioners. METHODS: An umbrella review was conducted in biomedical databases employing the following eligibility criteria: 1) ambient temperatures > 28 °C or hypohydrated participants, 2) healthy adults, 3) reported psychophysiological (thermal comfort, heart rate or core temperature) and/or performance (physical or cognitive) outcomes, 4) written in English, and 5) published before November 6, 2019. A second search for original research articles was performed to identify interventions of relevance but lacking systematic reviews. All identified interventions were independently evaluated by all co-authors on four point scales for effectiveness, cost, feasibility and environmental impact. RESULTS: Following screening, 36 systematic reviews fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The most effective solutions at mitigating occupational heat strain were wearing specialized cooling garments, (physiological) heat acclimation, improving aerobic fitness, cold water immersion, and applying ventilation. Although air-conditioning and cooling garments in ideal settings provide best scores for effectiveness, the limited applicability in certain industrial settings, high economic cost and high environmental impact are drawbacks for these solutions. However, (physiological) acclimatization, planned breaks, shading and optimized clothing properties are attractive alternative solutions when economic and ecological sustainability aspects are included in the overall evaluation. DISCUSSION: Choosing the most effective solution or combinations of methods to mitigate occupational heat strain will be scenario-specific. However, this paper provides a framework for integrating effectiveness, cost, feasibility (indoors and outdoor) and ecologic sustainability to provide occupational health and safety professionals with evidence-based guidelines.
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| 2. |
- W. Smallcombe, James, et al.
(författare)
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Update of clothing database for existing and new Western clothing ensembles, including effects of posture, body and air movement : Report on manikin measurements for ASHRAE 1760-TRP.
- 2021
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- ASHRAE Research Project RP-1760 aimed to update thedatabase of western clothing as used in ANSI/ASHRAE Stan-dard 55-2013, Thermal Environmental Conditions for HumanOccupancy (ASHRAE 2013a), ISO Standard 7730-2005,Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment—Analytical Deter-mination and Interpretation of Thermal Comfort Using Calcu-lation of the PMV and PPD Indices and Local ThermalComfort Criteria (ISO 2005), and ISO Standard 9920-2009,Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment—Estimation ofThermal Insulation and Water Vapor Resistance of a ClothingEnsemble (ISO 2009). The previous database, established inthe 1970s and 1980s, relied mostly on single-zone manikinsand did not provide detail on air and body movement effects oninsulation. Insulation values of up to 70 clothing ensembles(31 male, 39 female) were measured in a static standingposture at 0.2, 0.4, and 1 m/s–1 (0.66, 1.31, and 3.28 ft/s–1) airspeed, walking in 0.2 and 1.0 m.s–1 air speed, and in a sittingposture in 0.2 m.s–1 air speed. Measurements were conductedin three laboratories on three manikins with up to 34 individ-ually controlled zones. In addition, vapor resistance was deter-mined in 31 ensembles. This new database provides total,intrinsic and air insulation values, vapor resistance, and cloth-ing area factors as well as correction factors to estimate thewind and movement effect on clothing insulation. Further-more, the model to estimate the clothing area factor from insu-lation values of the ensembles was updated reflecting changesin commonly worn clothing styles.
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