ABSTRACT
Work in the industrial workplace is seldom undertaken in an ideal environment, and can often expose the individual to physical extremes of temperature. Workers in hot environments, around furnaces, smelters, boilers or out in the sun, can be subjected to considerable thermal stress. Workers exposed to repetitive bouts of work in hot environments eventually become acclimatised, which ultimately reduces heat strain. Numerous factors can affect the heat stress associated with a particular task or environment, and no single factor can be assessed in isolation. The wet bulb globe temperature assists with the final result by adding a level of environmental measurement and objectivity. Instruments for personal heat-stress monitoring do not measure the environmental conditions leading to heat stress; rather, they monitor the physiological indicators of heat strain—usually body temperature and/or heart rate. A number of workplace engineering, environmental and task factors can be manipulated to reduce heat stress.
