著者

Bruno LEMKE Tord KJELLSTROM

出版者

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

雑誌

Industrial Health (ISSN:00198366)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.50, no.4, pp.267-278, 2012 (Released:2012-08-10)

参考文献数

46

被引用文献数

174 229

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The WBGT heat stress index has been well tested under a variety of climatic conditions and quantitative links have been established between WBGT and the work-rest cycles needed to prevent heat stress effects at the workplace. While there are more specific methods based on individual physiological measurements to determine heat strain in an individual worker, the WBGT index is used in international and national standards to specify workplace heat stress risks. In order to assess time trends of occupational heat exposure at population level, weather station records or climate modelling are the most widely available data sources. The prescribed method to measure WBGT requires special equipment which is not used at weather stations. We compared published methods to calculate outdoor and indoor WBGT from standard climate data, such as air temperature, dew point temperature, wind speed and solar radiation. Specific criteria for recommending a method were developed and original measurements were used to evaluate the different methods. We recommend the method of Liljegren et al. (2008) for calculating outdoor WBGT and the method by Bernard et al. (1999) for indoor WBGT when estimating climate change impacts on occupational heat stress at a population level.

著者

Tord KJELLSTROM Bruno LEMKE Matthias OTTO

出版者

独立行政法人 労働安全衛生総合研究所

雑誌

Industrial Health (ISSN:00198366)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.51, no.1, pp.56-67, 2013 (Released:2013-02-15)

参考文献数

32

被引用文献数

14 78

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A feature of climate impacts on occupational health and safety are physiological limits to carrying out physical work at high heat exposure. Heat stress reduces a workers work capacity, leading to lower hourly labour productivity and economic output. We used existing weather station data and climate modeling grid cell data to describe heat conditions (calculated as Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, WBGT) in South-East Asia. During the hottest month in this region (March) afternoon WBGT levels are already high enough to cause major loss of hourly work capacity and by 2050 the situation will be extreme for many outdoor jobs.