Abstract
During the application of phytosanitary products in coffee trees, workers may be exposed to temperatures that could compromise their health. Exposure to occupational heat can lead to progressive dehydration, cramps, exhaustion and the possibility of thermal shock. Thus, knowing the levels of occupational heat that workers are exposed becomes important. This study aimed to evaluate workers’ occupational exposure to heat during the application of phytosanitary products with manual costal pump in the coffee crops. The case study was developed at the IFSULDEMINAS school farm - Campus Inconfidentes in the months of September and October 2017. The occupational heat in the coffee crop was evaluated using the WBGTAVERAGE method, using TGD 400 thermal stress meter. The WBGT values found were compared to the exposure limits of NR 15 for the purposes of insalubrity classification and with NHO 06 for acclimatized and non-acclimatized workers. The results showed that the WBGT found is below the tolerance limit of NR 15, for the month of September. In October, the tolerance limit was exceeded in the period from 11:00 a.m. to 2:59 p.m., considering a continuous heavy activity and rest in the workplace, and the activity considered unhealthy. Considering the criteria of the NHO 06 it was observed that the limits of occupational exposure were exceeded in the month of October, for acclimatized and non-acclimatized workers. In September the occupational exposure limit of NHO 06 was exceeded only for non-acclimated workers. Therefore, the workers should be submitted to acclimatization during the phytosanitary application activity in the month of October.
Highlights
The coffee crops to reach adequate levels of productivity receive nutritional sprays and applications of phytosanitary products for the control of insect-pests, diseases and weeds, and the application can be carried out in a manual or mechanized way (BELO et al, 2012; MIRANDA et al, 2016)
Exposure to occupational heat can lead to progressive dehydration, cramps, exhaustion and the possibility of thermal shock
The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) values found were compared to the exposure limits of NR 15 for the purposes of insalubrity classification and with NHO 06 for acclimatized and non-acclimatized workers
Summary
The coffee crops to reach adequate levels of productivity receive nutritional sprays and applications of phytosanitary products for the control of insect-pests, diseases and weeds, and the application can be carried out in a manual or mechanized way (BELO et al, 2012; MIRANDA et al, 2016). The acclimatized workers are those who underwent physical activities and successive and gradual expositions to heat, under medical supervision, and reached the conditions similar to those predicted in the work routine In this way, acclimatization consists of the physiological adaptation to successive and gradual exposures to heat aiming to reduce the physiological overload caused by exposure to heat (GIAMPAOLI et al, 2017). Knowing the effect of environmental conditions on the metabolic activity of rural workers during the work day is important to reduce the worker’s health risks and prevent the activity from becoming unhealthy In this way, the present study had as objective to evaluate the workers’ occupational exposure to heat during the application of phytosanitary products with manual costal pump in the coffee crop. Non-acclimatized workers who start their activities in October should have great awareness of the heat occupational risks, so there is a reduction in the risks of injuries, health problems and loss of productivity (VARGHESE et al, 2018)
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