| Popis: |
This chapter presents several guidelines for evaluation and control of hot working environments. These guidelines include information on the way the human body stores heat, potential illnesses from overexposure, methods for measuring and estimating the various components of heat exposure, limiting values of thermal exposure and work times in the heat, how these limits are affected by levels of acclimatization and clothing, and means of controlling heat exposure and heat stress. Heat stress may come from climatic heat, process heat, the workload (metabolic heat), or the use of additional/special clothing. An understanding of the heat balance exchange between the human body and the environment is a fundamental ingredient in the evaluation of thermal effects, limits, and controls. Acute and prolonged exposures to heat stress may allow various heat illnesses to occur. Heat exhaustion typically includes symptoms such as headache, fatigue, fainting, profuse sweating, and moist skin. The metabolic heat generated by a person increases as a function of the physical work performed. Metabolic heat can be estimated based on actual measurement of oxygen consumption of a worker or using detailed calculations and tabulations. The actions available for protecting heat exposed workers consist of an array of activities relating to the design of the job, the work, and the environment. These activities include fluid replacement, acclimatization, self-determination, diet, lifestyle, and health status. |
