Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences

Investigating the Levels of Thermal Stress in Kerman City in 2016 Using Thermal Indices: WBGT, ESI, HI, HSI, and SWreq

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sajad Zare 1
Rasoul Hemmatjo 2
Hossein Elahi Shirvan 3
Naser Hasheminejad 4
Keyvan Sarebanzadeh 3
Khodabakhsh Zare 5
Mohammad Faridan 6

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

3 Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

4 Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

5 Occupational Health Engineering, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

6 Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Lorestan, Iran

Abstract
Background:Thermal stress may have numerous harmful effects on human health. This study aimed at investigating thermal stress in the city of Kerman, Iran.
Methods:In this descriptive-analytical study, thermal stress was assessed from 6 AM to 9 PM in 2016 using four thermal stress indices including wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), environmental stress index (ESI), Humidex, heat stress index (HSI), and Required Sweat Rate (SWreq). Necessary data were collected from the meteorological organization of Kerman. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to examine the relationships among thermal stress indices and environmental parameters. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.
Results: Based on the results, the highest correlation coefficients were observed between ESI and WBGT (r = 0.99), Humidex and ESI (r = 0.96), Humidex and WBGT (r = 0.97) and SWreq and HSI (r = 0.99). On the other hand, thermal stress indices had significant relationships with environmental parameters including wind speed, air temperature, and relative humidity (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: All indices had strong and significant associations with one another. WBGT, HSI, and Humidex demonstrated similar thermal sensations. Furthermore, according to the obtained values of ESI, Humidex, and WBGT, people enjoy thermal comfort in all months of the year (save for January as judged by the obtained WBGT value). Thus, the climate of this city poses no threat to people’s thermal comfort.

Keywords

Thermal climate
Heat indices
Heat
Temperature
  1. Zare S, Hasheminejad N, Sarebanzadeh K, Zolala F, Hemmatjo R, Hassanvand D. Assessing thermal comfort in tourist attractions through objective and subjective procedures based on ISO 7730 standard: a field study. Urban Climate 2018; 26:1-9.
  2. Hajiazimi E, Khavanin A, Solymanian A, Valipour F, Dehghan HA. Heat stress control in the foundry platform of a steel plant Tehran, Iran. Journal of Health Systems Research 2011; 7(6):866-74. [In Persian].
  3. Zare S, Hasheminejad N, Bateni M, Baneshi MR, Shirvan HE, Hemmatjo R. The association between wet-bulb globe temperature and other thermal indices (DI, MDI, PMV, PPD, PHS, PSI and PSIhr): a field study. Int J Occup Saf Ergon 2018;1-9.
  4. Hocking C, Lau WM, Silberstein R, Roberts W, Stough C. The Effects of Thermal Strain on Cognition. Melbourne: Defence Science and Technology Organisation , 2000.
  5. Zare S, Hemmatjo R, Allahyari T, Hajaghazadeh M, Hajivandi A, Aghabeigi M, Kazemi R. Comparison of the effect of typical firefighting activities, live fire drills and rescue operations at height on firefighters’ physiological responses and cognitive function. Ergonomics 2018; 3:1-11.
  6. Morabito M, Cecchi L, Crisci A, Modesti PA, Orlandini S. Relationship between work-related accidents and hot weather conditions in Tuscany (central Italy). Ind Health 2006; 44(3):458-64.
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat-Related Deaths--United States, 1999-2003. MMWR: Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2006; 55(29):796-8.
  8. Mokarami H, Stallones L, Nazifi M, Taghavi SM. The role of psychosocial and physical work-related factors on the health-related quality of life of Iranian industrial workers. Work 2016; 55(2):441-52.
  9. Mokarami H, Mortazavi SB, Asgari A, Choobineh A, Stallones L. Multiple dimensions of work-related risk factors and their relationship to work ability among industrial workers in Iran. Int J Occup Saf Ergon 2017; 23(3):374-9.
  10. Roghanchi P, Kocsis KC. Challenges in selecting an appropriate heat stress index to protect workers in hot and humid underground mines. Safety and Health at Work 2017; 9(1):10-6.
  11. Blazejczyk K, Epstein Y, Jendritzky G, Staiger H, Tinz B. Comparison of UTCI to selected thermal indices. Int J Biometeorol 2012; 56(3):515-35.
  12. Malchaire JB. Occupational heat stress assessment by the predicted heat strain model. Ind Health 2006; 44(3):380-7.
  13. Monazzam M, Golbabaei F, Hematjo R, Hosseini M, Nassiri P, Fahang-Dehghan S. Evaluation of DI, WBGT, and SWreq/PHS heat stress indices for estimating the heat load on the employees of a petrochemical industry. International Journal of Occupational Hygiene 2015; 6(1):6-10.
  14. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 7243:1989. Hot environments-estimation of the heat stress on working man, based on the WBGT index (wet bulb globe temperature). Geneva: ISO; 1989.
  15. Moran DS, Pandolf KB, Shapiro Y, Laor A, Heled Y, Gonzalez R. Evaluation of the environmental stress index for physiological variables. Journal of Thermal Biology 2003; 28(1):43-9.
  16. Moran DS, Pandolf KB, Shapiro Y, Heled Y, Shani Y, Mathew W, et al. An Environmental Stress Index (ESI) as a substitute for the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). Journal of Thermal Biology 2001; 26(4-5):427-31.
  17. Moran DS, Shitzer A, Pandolf KB. A physiological strain index to evaluate heat stress. Am J Physiol 1998; 275(1 Pt 2):R129-34.
  18. Moran DS, Shitzer A, Pandolf KM. A physiological strain index to evaluate heat stress . Am J Physiol 1998; 275(1 Pt 2):R129-34.
  19. Błażejczyk K, Kazandjiev V, Degórski M, Dimitrov P. Assessment of occupational heat stress risk among agriculture workers in Poland and Bulgaria. Europa XXI 2015; 29:59-72.
  20. Oliver JE. Encyclopedia of world climatology. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media; 2008.
  21. d'Ambrosio Alfano FR, Palella BI, Riccio G. Thermal environment assessment reliability using temperature—humidity indices. Industrial Health 2011; 49(1):95-106.
  22. Chindapol S, Blair J, Osmond P, Prasad D. A suitable thermal stress index for the elderly in summer tropical climates. Procedia Engineering 2017; 180:932-43.
  23. Gosling SN, Bryce EK, Dixon PG, Gabriel KM, Gosling EY, Hanes JM, et al. A glossary for biometeorology. Int J Biometeorol 2014; 58(2):277-308.
  24. Bethea DK, Cartney S. Occupational Heat Stress In Compressed Air-Validity Of Current Heats Stress Indices. Inengineering And Health In Compressed Air Work: Proceedings Of The 2nd International Conference On Engineering And Health In Compressed Air Work Held At St Catherine's College, Oxford, From 25th To 27th September, 2002. London: Thomas Telford; 2003.
  25. Golbabaie F, Monazam Esmaieli MR, Hemmatjou R, Nasiri P, Pour Yaaghoub GR. Hosseini M. Comparing the heat stress (DI, WBGT, SW) indices and the men physiological parameters in hot and humid environment. Iranian Journal of Health and Environment 2012; 5(2):245-52.[In Persian].
  26. Hajizadeh R, Farhang Dehghan S, Mehri A, Golbabaei F, Beheshti MH, Haghighatjou H. Heat stress assessment in outdoor workplaces of a hot arid climate based on meteorological data: a case study in Qom, Iran. Journal of Military Medicine 2015; 17(2):89-95. [In Persian].
  27. Hajizadeh R, Mehri A, Jafari SM, Beheshti MH, Haghighatjou H. Feasibility of ESI index to assess heat stress in outdoor jobs. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 2016; 2(1):18-26. [In Persian].
  28. Moran DS, Epstein Y. Evaluation of the environmental stress index (ESI) for hot/dry and hot/wet climates. Ind Health 2006; 44(3):399-403.
  29. Moran DS, Pandolf KB, Shapiro Y, Frank A, Heled Y, Shani Y, et al. The role of global radiation measured by a light sensor on heat stress assessment. J Therm Biol 2001; 26(4-5):433-6.
  30. Heidari HR, Golbabaei F, Arsang Jang S, Shamsipour AA. Validation of humidex in evaluating heat stress in the outdoor jobs in arid and semi-arid climates of Iran. Journal of Health and Safety at Work 2016; 6(3):29-42.
  31. I.R. of Iran Meteorological Organization (IRIMO). [cited 2017 Dec 2]. Available from: http://www.irimo.ir/eng/wd/600-IRIMO.html.
  32. Yaglou CP, Minaed D. Control of heat casualties at military training centers. AMA Arch Ind Health 1957; 16(4):302-16.
  33. Haji Azimi E, Khavanin A, Aghajani M, Soleymanian A. Heat stress measurement according to WBGT index in smelters. Journal Mil Med 2011; 13(2):59-64.
  34. Hemmatjo R, Zare S, Babaei Heydarabadi A, Hajivandi A, Ghaedi H. Investigation of heat stress in workplace for different work groups according to ISO 7243 standard in Mehr Petrochemical Complex, Assaluyeh, Iran. Journal of Paramedical Sciences (JPS) 2013; 4(2):97-101.
  35. Błażejczyk K. BioKlima-universal tool for bioclimatic and thermophysiological studies [cited 2017 Dec 2]. Available from: https://www.igipz.pan.pl/Bioklima-zgik.html.
  36. Ghani S, Bialy EM, Bakochristou F, Gamaledin SM, Rashwan MM, Hughes B. Thermal comfort investigation of an outdoor air-conditioned area in a hot and arid environment. Sci Technol Built Environ 2017;23(7):1113-31.
  37. Golmohammadi R, Aliabadi M. Air Conditioning Control In Workplace. Hamedan: Daneshju; 2012. 124-6 p. [In Persian].
  38. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 7933:2004. Ergonomics of the thermal environment-Analytical determination and interpretation of heat stress using calculation of the predicted heat strain. Geneva: ISO; 2004.
  39. Zare Abyaneh H, Bayat Varkeshi M. Effect of ENSO phenomenon on monthly seasonal temperature variations of country half south. Physical Geography Research Quarterly 2012; 44(2):67-84. [In Persian].
  40. Zare S, Hasheminejad N, Elahi Shirvan H, Hemmatjo R, Sarebanzadeh K, Ahmadi S. Comparing Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) with selected thermal indices/environmental parameters during 12 months of the year. Weather Clim Extrem 2018; 19:49-57.
Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Volume 25, Issue 4
July and August 2018
Pages 339-354

Home

Editorial Board

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Guide for Reviewers

Contact Us