2007, Piran, Slovenia
2007, Piran, Slovenia 2007, Piran, Slovenia
Environmental Ergonomics XII Igor B. Mekjavic, Stelios N. Kounalakis & Nigel A.S. Taylor (Eds.), © BIOMED, Ljubljana 2007 HEAT STRESS AND EXPOSURE TO UV RADIATION IN ROOF WORK Raija Ilmarinen 1 , Henna Hämäläinen 1 , Harri Lindholm 1 , Maila Hietanen 2 , Patrick von Nandelstadh 2 1 Health and Work Ability, 2 Work Environment Development, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland Contact person: raija.ilmarinen@ttl.fi INTRODUCTION Heat stress combined with solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an occupational health issue in outdoor work during summer months. As a result of high heat stress levels, mental confusion related to heat illnesses may predispose workers to unsafe activities and the risk of accidents increases. Adverse effects of exposure to UV radiation focus on eyes and skin. Short term exposure can result in photokeratitis of the eyes and erythema ("burning") of the skin. Long term exposure can cause cataracts of the lens, premature skin ageing, and different types of skin cancer. This field study was conducted to elucidate the physiological effects of heat stress, and to determine the daily UV dose during sunny summer months among roof workers. The results are used to develop guidelines for Finnish outdoor workers for the prevention of harmful thermal health effects, and to evaluate the need for protective clothing against UV radiation. METHODS Subjects. Nine voluntary and healthy professional roof workers with an average age of 35 (25−49) y, height of 176 (171−185) cm, weight of 79 (58−108) kg, BMI of 25 (20−36) kg/m 2 , body fat percentage of 19 (9−33)%, and body area of 1.9 (1.7−2.2) m 2 participated the study. Before the experiments, the subjects underwent a medical check-up including a clinical cardiopulmonary exercise test and a heat stress test. The subjects had no history of heatrelated diseases and their average evaluated V& O2max was 40.0 (33.3−49.2) ml/kg·min -1 . The research protocol was reviewed and approved in advance by the Institutional Research Committee and the Coordinating Ethics Committee of the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (Finland). The subjects gave written informed consent before the experiments and received no payment for their participation. Measurements at work sites. The physiological field measurements were conducted during normal working days at several roof paving sites in southern Finland in June 2006. The registrations of UV radiation were carried out in June and July 2005 and 2006. The subjects were clad in protective clothing they received from employers. After instrumentation the measurements started at about 7 am and continued until about 15 pm. Daily local weather was received from the weather stations of Finnish Meteorological Institute near working sites. Air (Ta) and globe temperatures (Tg) at working sites were measured continuously (Veritec Instrument Type 1400), and relative humidity (RH) and air velocity (Va) were recorded every two hours (Vaisala Humicap HMI 31 and ALNOR F70). WBGT-index was calculated for hot working days. Workers' exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation was measured and the daily UV dose was determined by using personal electronic data loggers (Gigahertz-Optik Model X2000-4). Each dose meter contains two detectors: one for measuring the UV-A radiation (320−400 nm) 612
Occupational Thermal Problems and one for measuring the biologically weighted total UV radiation (200-400 nm). Each subject carried three dose meters attached to clothing at lower neck, shoulder and chest (Figure 1). The corresponding daily solar UV radiation dose of the working area was measured with one dosemeter directed vertically towards the sky at a fixed point at the work site (reference value). The daily UV dose was compared to the biologically weighted UV radiation limit value for eight-hour workday exposure, 30 J/m 2 . Figure 1. Typical work posture of a roof worker during waterproofing. UV dosemeters situated at lower neck, shoulder and chest. Physiological responses reflecting heat stress were registered during two hot working days (Ta ≥ 20 °C at 7 am). Control measurements were made during neutral working days (Ta
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Occupational Thermal Problems<br />
and one for measuring the biologically weighted total UV radiation (200-400 nm).<br />
Each subject carried three dose meters attached to clothing at lower neck, shoulder and chest<br />
(Figure 1). The corresponding daily solar UV radiation dose of the working area was<br />
measured with one dosemeter directed vertically towards the sky at a fixed point at the work<br />
site (reference value). The daily UV dose was compared to the biologically weighted UV<br />
radiation limit value for eight-hour workday exposure, 30 J/m 2 .<br />
Figure 1. Typical work posture of a roof worker during waterproofing. UV dosemeters<br />
situated at lower neck, shoulder and chest.<br />
Physiological responses reflecting heat stress were registered during two hot working days (Ta<br />
≥ 20 °C at 7 am). Control measurements were made during neutral working days (Ta
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