Heat Stress
Heat Stress
Heat Stress
Heat Stress
Four environmental factors affect the amount of stress a worker faces in a hot work area: temperature,
humidity, radiant heat (such as from the sun or a furnace) and air velocity. Perhaps most important to the
level of stress an individual faces are personal characteristics such as age, weight, fitness, medical
condition and acclimatization to the heat.
The body reacts to high external temperature by circulating blood to the skin which increases skin
temperature and allows the body to give off its excess heat through the skin. However, if the muscles are
being used for physical labor, less blood is available to flow to the skin and release the heat.
Sweating is another means the body uses to maintain a stable internal body temperature in the face of
heat. However, sweating is effective only if the humidity level is low enough to permit evaporation and if
the fluids and salts lost are adequately replaced.
Of course there are many steps a person might choose to take to reduce the risk of heat stress, such as
moving to a cooler place, reducing the work pace or load, or removing or loosening some clothing.
But the body cannot dispose of excess heat, it will store it. When this happens, the body's core
temperature rises and the heart rate increases. As the body continues to store heat, the individual begins
to lose concentration and has difficulty focusing on a task, may become irritable or sick and often loses
the desire to drink. The next stage is most often fainting and death is possible if the person is not
removed from the heat stress.