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Learning Objective 1: Identify relevant measurement approaches to examining individual characteristics and environmental heat stress for field-based physiologic studies of heat-related illness (HRI) in an agricultural settings.
Learning Objective 2: Identify individual characteristics that can increase a worker’s susceptibility to heat-related illness (HRI).
Purpose: The goal of this pilot study was to create baseline physiologic and descriptive data for fernery workers by characterizing the relationships between personal factors and physiologic responses to heat stress in their work environment.
Methods: In partnership with the Farmworker Association of Florida, a consecutive convenience sample of 8 men and 12 women were studied from a population of fernery workers in Central Florida during July 2012. Measurements included body composition, heart rate (HR) and core body temperatures (CT); work intensity; hydration; work tasks; and self-reported HRI symptoms were obtained from participants. Environmental measurements of wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were captured using real-time local weather data.
Results: Workers displayed variability in core body temperatures (CT) and HR with respect to body composition and work activity. WBGTs reached levels that are considered to be high-risk on all study days and nearly half of the workers exceeded recommended CT limits on at least 1 workday. Ongoing analysis includes examination of self-reported heat-related illness symptoms and work tasks.
Conclusions: This pilot provided the first descriptive data of heat-related symptoms coupled with simultaneous physiologic data in healthy, adult fernery workers. Efficiency of methods encourages future studies.
Public Health Implications: Baseline physiologic data regarding individual risk factors and physiologic responses to work in heat-hazardous environments provide the foundation for future studies to direct heat prevention strategies that decrease heat-related health disparities in agricultural workers and other vulnerable worker populations.