Author/Authors :
NASSIRI, PARVIN Department of Occupational Health - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , MONAZZAM, MOHAMMADREZA Department of Occupational Health - School of Public Health and Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR) - Institute for Environmental Research (IER) - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , GOLBABAEI, FARIDEH Department of Occupational Health - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , SHAMSIPOUR, ALIAKBAR Department of Physical Geography - School of Geography - University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran , TEIMORI, GHOLAMHEIDAR School of Health - Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran , ARABALIBEIK, HOSSEIN Research Center for Science and Technology in Medicine (RCSTIM) - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , MORTEZAPOUR, ALI REZA Department of Occupational Health Engineering - School of Public Health - Student Scientific Research Center - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , ASGHARI, MEHDI Department of Occupational Health - School of Public Health and Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR) - Institute for Environmental Research (IER) - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Working in hot environments is one of the common hazards in the workplaces, which can cause heat-related
illnesses, affect workers’ health and increase a risk of occupational injuries and accidents. The aim of this
study was to assess and compare thermal comfort indices of humidex, Discomfort Index (DI), and ET with
physiological responses in the open-pit mines in Tehran Province, Iran. This cross-sectional study was
conducted in summer 2016 on 175 male workers in 12 construction materials mines in Tehran Province, Iran.
Environmental and physiological parameters were measured simultaneously at three periods and thermal
indices were determined as well. In this study, correlation coefficients of indices at different times of day were
analyzed. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18 software and Pearson correlation. There was high correlation
between thermal comfort indices with each other. All three indices used in this study had an appropriate
relationship with core body temperature. Oral temperature had a greater correlation coefficient with thermal
indices compared to the tympanic membrane temperature and skin temperature. Humidex had a high
correlation coefficient with environmental parameters and physiological responses. The Humidex index is
more valid than ET and DI indices. Humidex, among the studied indices, despite being simple, lack of need
for sophisticated equipment to measure, low cost and easy interpretation can be used in open-pit mining.
Keywords :
Heat stress , Thermal comfort indices , Physiological parameters , Open-pit mines
