HEAT STRESS & HEAT DISORDERS AT SHOP FLOOR

P.C.GHOSH
DIRECTOR (PHYSIOLOGY & ERGONOMICS),RETIRED
CENTRAL LABOUR INSTITUTE,SION,MUMBAI
PRESENTLY AT
DEFENCE ENCLAVE, AIR FORCE STATION
6th STREET,5th LANE,38,MES ROAD
AVADI,CHENNAI-600 055, TEL:(044) 2684 1499
MOB: 9869534184 & 9790972857 & 9445739757 & 9840176508
E-mail: ghoshpareshchandra@yahoo.in
pcg_ghosh @rediffmail.com
ghoshpcg@gmail.com
WHAT IS HUMAN HEAT BALANCE EQUATION

M ± R ± C ± CV – E = ± S
Where
M = Metabolic heat
R = Redient heat
C = Conductive heat
CV = Convective heat
E = Evaporative heat
S = Storage of heat
 PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISM OF
MAINTENING BODY TEMPERATURE

Basal heat production Baasal heat loss

Carbohyderate  Radiation
 Evaporation
Protein
 Conduction
Fat

Thermal equilibrium at 37.6O C

 HOW HUMAN MAINTAIN ITS BODY TEMPERATURE
CONSTANTLY
 Human heat balance equation such as “M ± R ± C-E= ± S”
is always balanced by a tiny organ known as
hypothalamus situated in brain automatically making
heat storage minimum, thus human makes balance
between basal heat production & basal heat loss.
 WHEN MAN FEELS HEAT STRESS

 When vasomotor tone is subsides body tends to gain

heat from external source than we know it as “heat
stress". Any climatic or non climatic factors influence
this situation causing heat dain in body will be also
termed as “Heat stress”
WHICH ARE HEAT STRESS PRONE INDUSTRIES

♣ Steel plant , forging

♣ Foundries ,rubber
♣ Ceramics, glass, fire works
♣ Beedi, cigar industries etc
♣ Lock making, smelters industries, power plant are a
few industries where heat stress is predominant.
 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON EXPOSED TO
HEAT
♣ Heat exposed person tends to increase skin temperature
causing a vasoconstriction of blood vessels & this will
reduced blood circulation to vital organs. This situation
will leads to “Heat exhaustion” among working
population. It is a heat disorders man suffer first.
VARIOUS TYPES OF HEAT STRESS EXPOSURE

Short term Exposure

Long term exposure
Intermittent exposures
 WHAT IS SHORT TERM EXPOSURE

Whenever any industrial operations persist for less

than thirty minute at a time than it is termed as
“short term” exposure.

Short term exposure

 WHAT IS LONG TERM EXPOSURE

♣ Whenever any industrial operations persist for more

than one hour or more continuously than it is termed
as “Long term” exposure to heat, such as
mechanical welding, agricultural activities, forging
operations etc are all long term exposure jobs..

Mechanical welding operations in progress

 WHAT IS INTERMITTENT EXPOSURE

♣ Whenever any industrial operations are carried out

from time to time as nad when require without any
time frame than it is termed as “Intermittent
exposure” . Aluminum slag cleaner, repairing, are
some of intermittent exposure example at shop floor.

Aluminum slag cleaning operation in progress

MAN EXPOSED TO HEAT STRESS WITH OUT DOING
WORK FEELING OF HEAT DISORDERS
Reduced vital
Heart exhaustion circulation

First heat Augmented

disorders
Circulation

Increased skin Vaso constriction

Exposure to
temperature of Blood vessels
heat stress
FURTHER EXPOSURE CAUSES VASSODILATION &
THEN SWEATING START CAUSING LOSS OF
EXCESSIVE BODY WATER THIS IS CALL
“DEHYDRATION”
General dehydration

Dehydration
Loss of body water
Local Dehydration

2nd Heat
disorders

Further Exposure to Vasodilatation of periferal

heat stress vascular system onset Sweating Begins
 ALONG WITH WATER VITAL ELECTROLYTES
ARE LOST CAUSING A SPECFIC MUSCULAR
CRAMP KNOWN AS “HEAT CRAMP”

3rd heat disorders

Heat cramp Loss of electrolytes Loss of body water

Further exposure Vasodilatation of peripheral Sweating

to heat stress vascular system onset continues
FURTHER EXPOSURE TO HEAT CAUSES DRYNESS OF
SKIN SALTS DEPOSITES OVER SKIN KNOWN AS
“PRICKLY HEAT”

Further rise of core

Prickly heat Deposition of salt temperature

4 th h Dryness of skin
e at
diso
rder
s

Further exposure Vasodilatation of periferal

to heat stress Sweating Reduced
vascular system onset
 FURTHER EXPOSURE TO HEAT STRESS CAUSES
DRYNESS OF SKIN WITH STOPAGE OF SWEATING
KNOWN AS “RISE OF BODY” TEMPERATER , OR
HEAT PIREXIA
Heat pirexia

Further rise of core

Directly attack brain temperature

5th heat disorder

s

Sweating stops

Further exposure Vasodilatation of periferal

to heat stress vascular system reduced Sweating reduced
 FURTHER EXPOSURE TO HEAT STRESS
CAUSES DRYNESS OF SKIN WITH STOPAGE OF
SWEATING KNOWN AS “HEAT STROKE“
Heat strocke Directly attack brain

6 th h
e at Further rise of core
diso
rder temperature
s

Further exposure Vasodilatation of peripheral

to heat stress vascular system reduced Sweating stops
 HEAT EXHAUSTION

Reduced heat
gain Inadequate supply to vital areas

Increased heat flow

Heat stress Body & skin Temperature Augmented from core to surface Increased heat loss by
Rise Circulation evaporation & Radiation

Increased heat loss by

Sweating evaporation

Loss of Salt HEAT CRAMP

Loss of Water DEHYDRATION

Fatigue of the
Sweat glands Reduced Sweating
Prickly heat

Inadequate evaporative heat

loss

Heat gain may exceeds heat Further Rise in

loss if heat load is excessive Body temperature

Disturbance in temperature regulation

& other vital function of the body

Schematic Representation of Heat

Disorders HEAT STROKE
 ACTION NEEDS TO BE AT SHOP FLOOR
♣ It could be seen from schematic diagram of heat disorders
Heat exhaustion, dehydration ,heat cramp ,prickly heat etc.
can be taken care off at shop floor by doctor, colleagues &
friend
♣ Heat stroke is always 99% fetal risky difficult to take cation
with out hospital facility. Needs awareness & education for
shop floor operators.

Heat exhausted man happy in control environment

THANK YOU
pcg_ghosh@rediffmail.com