Due to changing climate, there is a predicted intensity of extremely hot weather presenting an increasing challenge to occupational health and safety. Without adequate heat dissipation, heat exposure can lead to a rise in core body temperature resulting in heat illness. Chronic workplace heat exposure may also cause long-term health as cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases and mental health issues. In addition, heat exposure can lead to an increase in the risk of occupational injuries and accidents, while dehydration plays a critical role in physical fatigue, impairment of judgment, coordination and alertness, thereby compromising occupational safety.
Also of considerable importance is that occupational exposure to heat tends to include demand high physical loads over time (i.e. chronic and repeated exposures). These high loads can be related to short and long-term health problems such as chronic pain, musculoskeletal problems, kidney dysfunctions and cardiovascular problems, among others.
Importantly, efforts have been made in some sectors to decrease occupational heat exposures in an effort to protect health and safety. These efforts, while noble, have not been well documented, thereby slowing progress to ensure safe working conditions for all persons. This is of particular importance given that populations occupationally exposed to heat tend to face vulnerabilities that make addressing the exposure more complex. These complexities include, but are not limited to the different scenarios of climate change and technological evolution of the work environment.
This research topic aims to highlight the acute and long-term health issues related to occupational exposure to heat and high physical loads in occupational settings (e.g., agricultural workers, miners, athletes, farmer, foundry workers, soldiers, steel workers, fire fighters).
This Research Topic welcomes original research, reviews, brief research reports, and opinion articles on topics including, but not limited to:
• Criteria for recommended limits and surveillance
• Physiologic and medical monitoring
• Determination of metabolic heat
• Determination of environmental heat
• Protective actions against exposure
• Training and educational programs
• Work and hygienic practices
• Novel biomarkers for early identification of health issues
• Technology applications
• Evaluation, identification and treatment of acute and chronic heat disorders
• Fatigue recovery methods and body cooling strategies
• Correlation between exposure and effects
• Increased physical work loads in modern work
• Projections for heat exposure in working occupations due to climate change
• Adaptation to climate change in work places
• Adaptation to climate change in working populations
• Early warning systems for heat stress
• Workplace policy to decrease heat stress in current and/or future climate change scenarios
This topic is being launched on the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The Research Topic supports Sustainable Development Goals #SDG 3 Good Health and Well Being and #SDG 13 Climate Action.
Due to changing climate, there is a predicted intensity of extremely hot weather presenting an increasing challenge to occupational health and safety. Without adequate heat dissipation, heat exposure can lead to a rise in core body temperature resulting in heat illness. Chronic workplace heat exposure may also cause long-term health as cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases and mental health issues. In addition, heat exposure can lead to an increase in the risk of occupational injuries and accidents, while dehydration plays a critical role in physical fatigue, impairment of judgment, coordination and alertness, thereby compromising occupational safety.
Also of considerable importance is that occupational exposure to heat tends to include demand high physical loads over time (i.e. chronic and repeated exposures). These high loads can be related to short and long-term health problems such as chronic pain, musculoskeletal problems, kidney dysfunctions and cardiovascular problems, among others.
Importantly, efforts have been made in some sectors to decrease occupational heat exposures in an effort to protect health and safety. These efforts, while noble, have not been well documented, thereby slowing progress to ensure safe working conditions for all persons. This is of particular importance given that populations occupationally exposed to heat tend to face vulnerabilities that make addressing the exposure more complex. These complexities include, but are not limited to the different scenarios of climate change and technological evolution of the work environment.
This research topic aims to highlight the acute and long-term health issues related to occupational exposure to heat and high physical loads in occupational settings (e.g., agricultural workers, miners, athletes, farmer, foundry workers, soldiers, steel workers, fire fighters).
This Research Topic welcomes original research, reviews, brief research reports, and opinion articles on topics including, but not limited to:
• Criteria for recommended limits and surveillance
• Physiologic and medical monitoring
• Determination of metabolic heat
• Determination of environmental heat
• Protective actions against exposure
• Training and educational programs
• Work and hygienic practices
• Novel biomarkers for early identification of health issues
• Technology applications
• Evaluation, identification and treatment of acute and chronic heat disorders
• Fatigue recovery methods and body cooling strategies
• Correlation between exposure and effects
• Increased physical work loads in modern work
• Projections for heat exposure in working occupations due to climate change
• Adaptation to climate change in work places
• Adaptation to climate change in working populations
• Early warning systems for heat stress
• Workplace policy to decrease heat stress in current and/or future climate change scenarios
This topic is being launched on the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The Research Topic supports Sustainable Development Goals #SDG 3 Good Health and Well Being and #SDG 13 Climate Action.