Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques
2021, Volume 9, Issue 1, Pages: 253-258
J. Environ. Treat. Tech.
ISSN: 2309-1185
Journal web link: http://www.jett.dormaj.com
https://doi.org/10.47277/JETT/9(1)258
Prevalence of Heat-Related Illnesses among
Outdoor Workplaces Workers in Hot and Dry
Areas of Iran
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Milad Derakhshanjazari , Ali Jangjou , Roohollah Bagherzadeh , Mohammad Reza
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5*
Monazzam , Zahra Zamanian
1
Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
2
Emergency Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3
Department of Textile Engineering, Advanced Textile Materials and Technology Research Institute (ATMT), Amirkabir University
of Technology, Tehran, Iran
4
Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5
Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
The risk of heat-related illnesses (HRI) is very high in outdoor workers. Given that there are a large number of outdoor workers in
areas of Iran and there is no comprehensive information on HRI among these workers in the risky workplace. Aim of the study is
prevalence of HRI among outdoor workplaces workers in hot and dry areas of Iran. This cross-sectional study carried out among 1800
that randomly selected from outdoor workplaces workers in hot and dry cities of Iran in 2019. Data was collected by researcher-made
questionnaire containing questions about information about the participants’ demography and lifestyle; behavior modification during
heat; knowledge about HRI; health status of the workplace; type of HRI symptoms in the Sumer 2019; job properties; and individual
factors. Then, data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 19. 76.2 % of the participants reported experiencing one or
more HRI symptoms that 36% of them were related to headache. HRI is highest prevalence in agricultural workers (37%). HRI symptom
are significantly associated with age, work experience, type of working clothes, and ratio of rest/work (p<0.001). Results showed that
reducing rest time and water consumption increased the prevalence of HRI (p<0.001). Prevalence of HRI is very high in among outdoor
workplace workers in hot and dry areas of Iran, especially agriculture workers. Headache is most prevalence in the workers. Finally,
consideration of working clothes, water consumption, and ratio of rest/work have an important role in reducing of HRI.
Keywords: Heat-related illnesses, Outdoor, Workers, Hot and dry
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995 to 2005 (15). In Japan, 389 deaths occurred from 1989-
012 due to heat shocks (16). The reports indicate the
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Introduction
Heat stress as a physical agent or hazard is influenced by
importance of heat stress in the workplace.
environmental and individual factors (ie, air temperature,
humidity, air movement, thermal radiation), the metabolic heat
generated by human activity, and clothing type (1, 2). This
adverse agent has many effects at outdoor and indoor
workplaces such as agriculture, construction workers, ranchers,
bakeries, glass industrials, smelters (3, 4). Excessive exposure
to heat can cause physiological (5), and psychological effects
Iran lies in western Asia. The population now estimated at
0.0 million. The area coverage of different types of climate in
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Iran is 35.5 % hyper-arid, 29.2 % arid, 20.1 % semi-arid, 5 %
Mediterranean and 10 % wet. Thus more than 82 percent of
Iran’s territory is located in the arid and semi-arid zone of the
world (17). There are 14 million workers in Iran, about 8.5
million of whom work in outdoor workplaces. 30% of these
workers work in 9 cities of Iran including Isfahan, Kerman,
Sabzevar, Zahedan, Semnan, Kashan, Yazd, Zabol and Dezful
that these cities are located hot and dry areas of Iran (18, 19).
According to meteorological reports, the average dry air
temperature and relative humidity over a period of 40 years in
summer are about 30.2 Celsius degrees and 24 percent,
respectively. Also, the radiation temperature in these areas is
about 40 Celsius degrees (20). Given that there are a large
number of outdoor workers in these areas of Iran and there is
no comprehensive information on HRI among these workers in
the risky workplace. Aim of the study is prevalence of heat-
related illnesses among outdoor workplaces workers in hot and
dry areas of Iran.
(
6), heat-related illnesses (HRI) symptoms such as heat
exhaustion, heat stroke, headache, vertigo, and vomiting (7),
kidney disease, syncope (8), and heart disorder (9), and can also
increase occupational accident risk (10). Heat-related illness in
outdoor workers are higher than indoor workers, because of
both environmental and occupational exposure to heat (11, 12).
In addition, global average dry temperature has been
increasing, the forecast for a rise of 1.8 to 4 degree Celsius by
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100 (13), For outdoor workers, sun radiations and climatic
conditions (e.g. low air movement, low humidity levels and
high dry temperature) can cause heat stress. Numerous studies
have reported the prevalence of HRI in outdoor workplaces
workers. In Australia, reports showed that there were 485 cases
of HRI in the 11 years from 1997 to 2007 (14). Also, 480 cases
of heatstroke occurred in the United States in the 11 years from
Corresponding author: Zahra Zamanian, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of
Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Koy-e-Zahra Street, PO Box: 71645-11, E-mail: zzamamian@yahoo.com.
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