Annals Of Occupational Hygiene Research Articles

Managing sharps injuries: awareness, assessment, reduction

British Journal of Healthcare ManagementVol. 24, No. 12 Risk ManagementManaging sharps injuries: awareness, assessment, reductionJ Ian BlenkharnJ Ian BlenkharnEmail:E-mail Address: [email protected]Blenkharn Environmental, LondonSearch for more papers by this authorJ Ian BlenkharnPublished Online:7 Dec 2018https://doi.org/10.12968/bjhc.2018.24.12.578AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Blenkharn JI. Blood splashes around sharps bins: hygiene failures in the clinical environment? International Journal of Hospital Environment and Hygiene Management. 2012;1:1–9 Google ScholarBlenkharn JI, Odd C. Sharps injuries in healthcare waste handlers. Annals of Occupational Hygiene. 2008;52(4):281–286. https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/men010 Crossref, Google ScholarDunleavy K, Taylor A, Gow J et al.. Management of blood and body fluid exposures in police service staff. Occupational Medicine (London). 2010;60(7):540–545. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqq111 Crossref, Google ScholarGrimmond T. Use and activation of safety engineered sharps devices in a sample of 5 Florida healthcare facilities. J Assoc Occ Hlth Prof. 2014;34:13–15. Google ScholarHealth and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, HSE Information Sheet and Guidance for employers and employees. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis7.pdf (accessed 6 November) Google ScholarLeigh JPO, Wiatrowski WJ, Gillen M et al.. Characteristics of persons and jobs with needlestick injuries in a national data set. Am J Infect Control. 2008;36:414–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2007.07.020 Crossref, Google ScholarSchuurmans J, Lutgens SP, Groen L et al.. Do safety engineered devices reduce needlestick injuries? J Hosp Infect. 2018;100:99–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2018.04.026 Crossref, Google ScholarThe Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013. 2013. No. 645. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/645/pdfs/uksi_20130645_en.pdf (accessed 6 November) Google ScholarSohn JW, Kim BG, Kim SH et al.. Mental health of healthcare workers who experience needlestick and sharps injuries. J Occup Health. 2006;48:474–9 Crossref, Google ScholarWorthington MG, Ross JJ, Bergeron EK. Posttraumatic stress disorder after occupational HIV exposure: two cases and a literature review. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2006;27:215–7. https://doi.org/10.1086/501155 Crossref, Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 December 2018Volume 24Issue 12ISSN (print): 1358-0574ISSN (online): 1759-7382 Metrics History Published online 7 December 2018 Published in print 2 December 2018 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Protecting Our Science

In response to a recent court decision, the Annals of Occupational Hygiene is reviewing our procedures to ensure transparency in authorship and direct and indirect conflicts of interest. These improvements are intended to help protect the integrity of the science presented in the journal.

Potential Public Health Consequences of Exposure Assessment for Staphylococcus aureus: Commentary on the Paper by Masclaux et al.

The study of Masclaux et al., in this issue of the Annals of Occupational Hygiene, describes measurement of Staphylococcus bacteria in pig farms using classical viable measurement techniques and molecular techniques. Molecular techniques find application in hygiene field studies more often and create new opportunities. Common dust sampling approaches can be used in combination with molecular techniques and high numbers of samples can be processed creating opportunities for hygiene control and for exposure assessment in the context of epidemiological surveys. Hygienists should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of these techniques. Aspects of microbial sampling are briefly reviewed.

Comparison of Established Systems for Measuring the Dustiness of Powders with the UNC Dustiness Tester Developed Especially for Pharmaceutical Substances

Four methods for evaluating the dustiness of powders have been compared. The relatively new UNC Dustiness Tester first described by Boundy et al. (2006) in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene, which was developed specifically for the measurement of hazardous and/or highly potent substances, a single-drop device, a rotating-drum method, and a continuous drop-down apparatus. The four methods show four different ratings of dustiness for nine reference materials. This article describes the differences, explores reasons for the deviations, identifies a need for distinct dustiness test methods, and highlights the significance for occupational health and safety.

2011 William P. Yant Award Lecture

The Yant Award was established in 1964 to honor the contributions of William P. Yant, the first president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. It is presented annually for outstanding contributions in industrial hygiene or allied fields to an individual residing outside the United States. The 2011 award recipient is Dr. Trevor Ogden, chief editor of the Annals of Occupational Hygiene.

An Integrated Approach to the Exposome

The editorial by Lioy and Rappaport (2011) provides a timely addition to the discussion about the exposome and exposure science. We are encouraged by the recognition of the importance of combining measurements of personal exposure with measurements of biological markers of exposure. However, rather than focusing on two approaches (i.e., top-down vs. bottom-up), we advocate a fully integrated approach to measurement of the exposome. There are currently serious limitations in measuring internal and external exposure. It may be feasible to measure biological markers in blood or other media periodically, but such measures are not without difficulties. Recent developments in omics technology are very promising, but many of these techniques have low reproducibility between laboratories, show high intraindividual variability, and are still expensive; in addition, uncertainties remain in biological interpretation of these markers (Vineis et al. 2009). It is still often impractical to prospectively measure personal inhalation, dermal, and ingestion exposure. Such information could be collected periodically, but the scientific effort would be great and the intrusion into the subjects’ lives would probably be unacceptable. Increased research effort will undoubtedly help improve measurement of both internal and external exposure. However, other sources of information exist that could contribute to constructing the exposome. We all routinely leave traces of our exposome in everyday electronic databases or databases that could be easily constructed. For example, the goods we purchase in a supermarket are often tracked by loyalty cards, which may provide a rich source of information on food consumption and the consumer products we use. Consumption of electricity and natural gas is increasingly being logged electronically by utility companies to assist billing. These data could be used to determine use of electrical items (informative about exposure to electric and magnetic fields) and activity patterns. It is relatively straightforward to track movements of individuals using mobile phones, and these data can be used, for example, to help estimate exposure to air pollutants. Within the next few years we will see an explosion in availability of sensors for many environmental contaminants that will be relatively cheap and easy to use and that could provide a more or less continuous log of information that can be related to exposure. These include simple sensors in the homes of subjects that continuously record information on air temperature, airborne contaminants, and other environmental factors. These sensors may provide personal exposure data or could, in combination with activity patterns and behavior, be used to reconstruct exposure profiles. The availability of data on use and activity patterns, as well as developments in sensor and omics technology, suggests that the dichotomy in top-down and bottom-up approaches may not be appropriate, as there are other strategies that could be used to determine the exposome. In addition, the terms “top-down” and “bottom-up” may be interpreted differently, with consequent confusion of terminology. Instead, we should aim to develop a concept of the exposome that takes into account all sources of available exposure information. The key factor in developing an integrated approach will be the articulation of clear theoretical paradigms linking exposures with disease. All of the exposure and contextual data could be used to reconstruct the exposome of individuals in an epidemiological study using appropriate models to link the data to parameters of interest in the exposome. Data on internal and external exposures, data on personal behavior, and environmental information from sensors could be used to triangulate on the exposome. This is an extremely exciting time in exposure science, and we believe that the coming years will provide a great opportunity to make a significant leap forward in understanding the relationship between environmental exposure and disease. Maximizing the opportunities provided by various developments requires a fully integrated approach to the exposome. This approach must be based on a clear theoretical framework that incorporates measurement and modeling of external exposure, databanks on patterns of behaviors, and markers of internal exposure.

In this issue of Annals of Occupational Hygiene

In this issue of Annals of Occupational Hygiene

The Ups and Downs of Journal Impact Factors

The journal impact factor (JIF) for The Annals of Occupational Hygiene rose 68% between 2005 and 2006. JIFs are widely publicized and may influence subscriptions and where authors submit papers, so they are much discussed in the publishing world. But although they tell us something about a journal's citation performance, their shortcomings mean that they are poor general indicators of journal quality, and worse guides to the quality of authors and their institutions. The shortcomings include the following. (i) The two cited years may completely misrepresent the total current citation rate for the journal. (ii) The short citation period (1 year) results in many papers not contributing to the JIF, and usually two-thirds or more of the JIF depend on the most-cited 25% of papers. (iii) The JIF of the journal where a paper is published is therefore a very poor guide to the paper's citation performance or the success of the author. Citation counts more specific to the author are much better. (iv) The JIF depends strongly on the subject of the journal, even within the published categories. (v) Statistical analysis shows that the relative standard deviation of year-to-year variation of a JIF for a journal with a JIF approximately 1.5 is likely to be between 10 and 20%, on top of any longer trend. Quotation of JIFs to three decimal places is therefore meaningless, and, for a journal like Annals of Occupational Hygiene, a single annual change of 70% could easily be due to a chance shift from a negative to positive fluctuation. (vi) The citations counted are not only of individual papers, so it is difficult to reproduce the JIF calculation. (vii) The selection of journals has been criticized, for example, the alleged emphasis on American- or English-language publications. This journal's JIF does not noticeably influence the number of papers submitted to this journal, although it may influence some important authors. JIFs in our field seem to be increasing by approximately 5% a year, perhaps partly because of the various measures which editors can take to improve them, some of which represent genuine improvements to the journal, but some of which are unethical.

Risk management measures for chemicals: the “COSHH essentials” approach

"COSHH essentials" was developed in Great Britain to help duty holders comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations. It uses a similar approach to that described in the new European "REACH" Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals; EC No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament), insofar as it identifies measures for managing the risk for specified exposure scenarios. It can therefore assist REACH duty holders with the identification and communication of appropriate risk-management measures. The technical basis for COSHH essentials is explained in the original papers published in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene. Its details will, therefore, not be described here; rather, its ability to provide a suitable means for communicating risk-management measures will be explored. COSHH essentials is a simple tool based on an empirical approach to risk assessment and risk management. The output is a "Control Guidance Sheet" that lists the "dos" and "don'ts" for control in a specific task scenario. The guidance in COSHH essentials recognises that exposure in the workplace will depend not just on mechanical controls, but also on a number of other factors, including administrative and behavioural controls, such as systems of work, supervision and training. In 2002, COSHH essentials was made freely available via the internet (http://www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/). This electronic delivery enabled links to be made between product series that share tasks, such as drum filling, and with ancillary guidance, such as setting up health surveillance for work with a respiratory sensitiser. COSHH essentials has proved to be a popular tool for communicating good control practice. It has attracted over 1 million visits to its site since its launch. It offers a common benchmark of good practice for chemical users, manufacturers, suppliers and importers, as well as regulators and health professionals.

<italic>Annals of Occupational Hygiene</italic> at Volume 50: Many Achievements, a Few Mistakes, and an Interesting Future

The past 10 years have seen a doubling of the number of papers submitted to the Annals, and a 5-fold increase in the number of institutions with access to the journal. Electronic access is now far more important than print access. Papers from British authors dominated the first 20 years of the journal, but the rest of Europe is now more important, with Scandinavia and The Netherlands being the major continental sources. North America is the other major source. For British papers, there has been a big growth in government authors, and a decline in papers from industry and armed forces. From many possible topics, trends are selectively reviewed in: standards and exposure limits; measurement methods and criteria; sampling strategy and statistics; fibres; control banding; dermal exposure; and evaluation of control. For the future, we will continue to have the same aims and standards, but the changes of the past few years, and the growth of new approaches such as open access, have emphasized the difficulty of forecasting. The growth in submissions from countries which we presently regard as 'developing', and especially the growth in higher education in China, and the amount of occupational disease there, are bound to have major impacts. Perhaps the English language will not continue to dominate scientific publishing, but in any case an eastward shift in the source of papers must lead to other changes.

A numerical study of the effects of loading from diffusive deposition on the efficiency of fibrous filters

This work is aimed at developing numerical methods for calculating diffusive and interceptive deposition on fibres in fibrous filters as a deposit builds up. Calculations are performed of the two dimensional flow field past a single fibre for three different cell models using the boundary element model (BEM). Boundary conditions for the cells correspond to the Kuwabara model and two different rectangular cases, one corresponding to a periodic cell array. The concentration field for particles is then calculated using the equation of Stechkina and Fuchs [1966. Studies on fibrous aerosol filters—I. Calculations of diffusional deposition of aerosols in fibrous filters. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 9, 59–64], but with the numerical flow field. Resulting deposition rates are compared with their results and also with those of Friedlander [1977. Smoke, dust and haze. Fundamentals of aerosol behaviour. New York: Wiley] for point particles. For deposition on the front of the fibre, we extend their results using the analytic flow field to obtain analytic results for parameter regions where different types of deposition occur. The two relevant parameters are the ratio of the particle to fibre radii and the effective thickness of the diffusion layer. Numerical flow fields are used to calculate particle deposition over the whole fibre, assuming the deposit forms as a smooth solid layer. The new surface shape is parameterised, and the whole process of recalculating the flow field and particle deposition is repeated. Results are obtained for deposition on the new surface as functions of flow Peclet number and fibre packing fraction.

A Precautionary Tale: Mental Health and Risk Communication

Many agencies and organizations have, over the years, assumed that a substance should be assumed benign until proven harmful, and that caution is needed only in limited cases. Advocates of the pre-cautionary principle, on the other hand, assume that it is better to be cautious in the face of scientific uncertainty about a potential threat—such as electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from cellular phones and cell phone towers—which should be presumed to be harmful until proven otherwise. However, one important component of overall health, mental health, might not benefit from following the pre-cautionary principle, according to a small European study [EHP 113:402–405]. To observe how following the precautionary principle affects certain facets of mental health, researchers at the Research Centre Julich, a German organization funded primarily by the country’s federal government, surveyed students and employees at Austria’s University of Innsbruck and evaluated their responses to precautionary statements. The surveys focused on the issue of EMFs (which the researchers called “electrosmog”) from wireless communications. In two separate experiments in 2003 and 2004, the researchers presented respondents with various sets of statements about the electrosmog controversy and risk management responses. All the participants saw a base statement noting that there is widespread debate about the potential risks related to electrosmog, although the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection says that current exposure limits adequately protect the public. Some of the participants also saw various additional statements describing measures taken to protect against the potential electrosmog threat, such as “Following a precautionary approach, Switzerland has tightened exposure limits by a factor of 10 in areas where people are exposed for long periods of time.” Statements in the first experiment focused on health-related measures such as stricter exposure limits, while the single additional statement used in the second experiment focused on enhancing public participation in deciding where to build cell phone towers. After reading the statements, subjects were asked for their perception of the extent of the risk and the quality of the scientific knowledge about electrosmog. In the first experiment respondents who read any of the health precautionary statements felt significantly more threatened than those who read only the base statement. The researchers write that these results support the idea that “precautionary measures will be considered a cue that risk might be real and increase perceived risk.” This effect was not found in the second experiment, which used a public participation measure. However, respondents who read about public participation had less trust in public health protection. The team concludes that policy makers should be aware of this downside to taking a precautionary approach, even though enacting such an approach may lead to reduced exposures and improved physical health. However, they acknowledge that more study needs to be done to confirm their results before drawing any practical conclusions for policy making.

Medical Recommendations for Women Going to Altitude

High Altitude Medicine & BiologyVol. 6, No. 1 POSITION PAPERMedical Recommendations for Women Going to AltitudeA Medical Commission UIAA Consensus PaperDominique Jean, Conxita Leal, Susi Kriemler, Heleen Meijer, and Lorna G. MooreDominique JeanSearch for more papers by this author, Conxita LealSearch for more papers by this author, Susi KriemlerSearch for more papers by this author, Heleen MeijerSearch for more papers by this author, and Lorna G. MooreSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:16 Mar 2005https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2005.6.22AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited bySport Climbing During Pregnancy26 May 2022Ventilatory Response to Hypoxia and Tolerance to High Altitude in Women: Influence of Menstrual Cycle, Oral Contraception, and Menopause Jean-Paul Richalet, François Lhuissier, and Dominique Jean17 March 2020 | High Altitude Medicine & Biology, Vol. 21, No. 1Schwangerschaft, Antikonzeptiva und BergsteigenHigh-Altitude MedicineQueen of the mountain: successful pregnancy while exercising up to 5,300 mJournal of Applied Physiology, Vol. 125, No. 2Travel During Pregnancy: Considerations for the Obstetric ProviderObstetrical & Gynecological Survey, Vol. 72, No. 2Athletes at High Altitude10 February 2016 | Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Vol. 8, No. 2Lebensführung und Ernährung in der Schwangerschaft15 September 2016Wilderness Preparticipation Evaluation and Considerations for Special PopulationsWilderness & Environmental Medicine, Vol. 26, No. 4Wilderness Preparticipation Evaluation and Considerations for Special PopulationsClinical Journal of Sport Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 5Prevention of high altitude illnessTravel Medicine and Infectious Disease, Vol. 12, No. 1Lebensführung und Ernährung in der Schwangerschaft16 April 2015High-Altitude MedicineTravel to High Altitude during Pregnancy: Frequently Asked Questions and Recommendations for Clinicians Dominique Jean and Lorna G. Moore22 June 2012 | High Altitude Medicine & Biology, Vol. 13, No. 2Work in Hypoxic Conditions-Consensus Statement of the Medical Commission of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA MedCom)25 March 2011 | The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Vol. 76LebensführungOccupational Aspects of Work in Hypoxic Conditions - The New Recommendation of the Medical Commission of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA MedCom)26 April 2010 | Medicina Sportiva, Vol. 14, No. 1Journeys to High Altitude—Risks and Recommendations for Travelers with Preexisting Medical Conditions1 January 2010 | Journal of Travel Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 1The ecology and evolutionary endocrinology of reproduction in the human female3 November 2009 | American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Vol. 140, No. S49Respiratory Physiology in Pregnancy30 January 2009Maximum Exercise Responses of Men and Women Mountaineering Trainees on Induction to High Altitude (4350 m) by TrekkingWilderness & Environmental Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 3Medication and Dosage Considerations in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of High-Altitude IllnessChest, Vol. 133, No. 3Advice for Women TravelersHigh-altitude MedicineWomen in the WildernessEvidence for a Genetic Basis for Altitude-Related Illness Jim L. Rupert and Michael S. Koehle9 June 2006 | High Altitude Medicine & Biology, Vol. 7, No. 2Beratungsgrundlagen zur Lebens führung in der Schwangerschaft Volume 6Issue 1Mar 2005 InformationCopyright 2005, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Dominique Jean, Conxita Leal, Susi Kriemler, Heleen Meijer, and Lorna G. Moore.Medical Recommendations for Women Going to Altitude.High Altitude Medicine & Biology.Mar 2005.22-31.http://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2005.6.22Published in Volume: 6 Issue 1: March 16, 2005Keywordsacute mountain sicknessclimbingcontraceptionhigh altitude pulmonary edemahigh altitude peripheral edemahypoxiaintrauterine growth restrictionmountaineeringpregnancyPDF download

The list of contents of Annals of Occupational Hygiene can be accessed from the OUP website at http:// www.annhyg.oupjournals.org/?f2

The list of contents of Annals of Occupational Hygiene can be accessed from the OUP website at http:// www.annhyg.oupjournals.org/?f2

Particle size and chemical species 'fingerprinting' of aerosols in primary nickel production industry workplaces.

A field study was conducted at a range of worksites at a number of plants, for two companies, in the primary nickel production industry. The aim of the field study was to provide direct measurements of the distributions of both particle size and relevant nickel species groups (soluble, sulfidic, metallic and oxidic). and to use the data to characterize health-relevant aerosol exposures of workers at the worksites in question. Since there was no commercially-available sampler that could provide samples of sufficient quantity to enable chemical speciation for the species fractions of interest, as well as particle size distribution information, new instrumentation was developed, based on a modified version of the Andersen cascade impactor, incorporating a porous foam media top stage that produced particle classification over the upper end of the inhalable range (Kerr, Vincent and Ramachandran, Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2001, in the press). This modified-Andersen sampler was used in extensive field studies, along with other sampling instruments, including, in particular, the IOM personal inhalable aerosol sampler. The results of the field study provided results that could be represented succinctly in terms of the distributions of the four nickel species groups and the three health-related particle-size fractions: inhalable, thoracic and respirable. They showed that, for practical purposes, the distributions of the four nickel species groups were consistently uniform across the full range of particle-size distribution. For the purpose of characterizing the distribution of nickel species for each worksite, this finding enabled incorporation of additional data taken at those same sites using the IOM personal inhalable aerosol sampler. This yielded a data set sufficient to permit the development of exposure 'fingerprints' for each worksite. Such 'fingerprints' make it possible for the occupational hygienists at the plants in question to estimate workers' exposure to individual nickel species fractions based on measurement only of overall inhalable nickel. In addition, by reference to the differing threshold limit values (TLV) for the various nickel species, the 'fingerprints' also allow the individual worksites to be characterized by hazard indices (in the form of 'equivalent sulfidic fractions', or ESFs) that reflect the weightings of the risks experienced by workers at each worksite.

Exposure to rubber fume and rubber process dust in the general rubber goods, tyre manufacturing and retread industries

This study assesses the current patterns and levels of exposure to rubber fume and rubber process dust in the British rubber industry and compares and contrasts the data obtained from the general rubber goods (GRG), retread tire (RT) and new tire (NT) sectors. A total of 179 rubber companies were visited and data were obtained from 52 general rubber goods, 29 retread tire and 7 new tire manufacturers. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire and included a walk-through inspection of the workplace to assess the extent of use of control measures and the nature of work practices being employed. The most recent (predominantly 1995-97) exposure monitoring data for rubber fume and rubber process dust were obtained from these companies; no additional sampling was conducted for the purpose of this study. In addition to the assessment of exposure data, evaluation of occupational hygiene reports for the quality of information and advice was also carried out.A comparison of the median exposures for processes showed that the order of exposure to rubber fume (E, in mg m(-3)) is: E(moulding) (0.40) approximately E(extrusion) (0.33)>E(milling) (0.18) for GRG; E(press) (0. 32)>E(extrusion) (0.19)>E(autoclave) (0.10) for RT; and E(press) (0. 22) approximately E(all other) (0.22) for NT. The order of exposure to rubber fume between sectors was E(GRG) (0.40)>E(RT) (0.32)>E(NT) (0.22). Median exposures to rubber process dust in the GRG was E(weighing) (4.2)>>E(mixing) (1.2) approximately E(milling) (0.8) approximately E(extrusion) (0.8) and no significant difference (P=0. 31) between GRG and NT sectors. The findings compare well with the study carried out in the Netherlands [Kromhout et al. (1994), Annals of Occupational Hygiene 38(1), 3-22], and it is suggested that the factors governing the significant differences noted between the three sectors relate principally to the production and task functions and also to the extent of controls employed. Evaluation of occupational hygiene reports indicated a number of shortcomings including lack of suitable and sufficient information with regard to sampling and analytical methods in use, poor sampling strategy, lack of appreciation regarding true rubber process dust, and a poor understanding of the principles of control for substances assigned maximum exposure limits.

The effects of wind and human movement on the heat and vapour transfer properties of clothing

This paper integrates the research presented in the papers in this special issue of Holmér et al. and Havenith et al. [Holmér, I., Nilsson, H., Havenith, G., Parsons, K. C. (1999) Clothing convective heat exchange: proposal for improved prediction in standards and models. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, in press; Havenith, G., Holmér, I., den Hartog, E. and Parsons, K. C. (1999) Clothing evaporative heat resistance: proposal for improved representation in standards and models. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, in press] to provide a practical suggestion for improving existing clothing models so that they can account for the effects of wind and human movement. The proposed method is presented and described in the form of a basic computer program. Analytical methods (for example ISO 7933) for the assessment of the thermal strain caused by human exposure to hot environments require a mathematical quantification of the thermal properties of clothing. These effects are usually considered in terms of ‘dry’ thermal insulation and vapour resistance. This simple ‘model’ of clothing can account for the insulation properties of clothing which reduce heat loss (or gain) between the body and the environment and, for example, the resistance to the transfer of evaporated sweat from the skin, which is important for cooling the body in a hot environment. When a clothed person is exposed to wind, however, and when the person is active, there is a potentially significant limitation in the simple model of clothing presented above. Heat and mass transfer can take place between the microclimate (within clothing and next to the skin surface) and the external environment. The method described in this paper ‘corrects’ static values of clothing properties to provide dynamic values that take account of wind and human movement. It therefore allows a more complete representation of the effects of clothing on the heat strain of workers.

The effects of wind and human movement on the heat and vapour transfer properties of clothing

This paper integrates the research presented in the papers in this special issue of Holmér et al. and Havenith et al. [Holmér, I., Nilsson, H., Havenith, G., Parsons, K. C. (1999) Clothing convective heat exchange: proposal for improved prediction in standards and models. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, in press; Havenith, G., Holmér, I., den Hartog, E. and Parsons, K. C. (1999) Clothing evaporative heat resistance: proposal for improved representation in standards and models. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, in press] to provide a practical suggestion for improving existing clothing models so that they can account for the effects of wind and human movement. The proposed method is presented and described in the form of a BASIC computer program. Analytical methods (for example ISO 7933) for the assessment of the thermal strain caused by human exposure to hot environments require a mathematical quantification of the thermal properties of clothing. These effects are usually considered in terms of 'dry' thermal insulation and vapour resistance. This simple 'model' of clothing can account for the insulation properties of clothing which reduce heat loss (or gain) between the body and the environment and, for example, the resistance to the transfer of evaporated sweat from the skin, which is important for cooling the body in a hot environment. When a clothed person is exposed to wind, however, and when the person is active, there is a potentially significant limitation in the simple model of clothing presented above. Heat and mass transfer can take place between the microclimate (within clothing and next to the skin surface) and the external environment. The method described in this paper 'corrects' static values of clothing properties to provide dynamic values that take account of wind and human movement. It therefore allows a more complete representation of the effects of clothing on the heat strain of workers.

The First International Conference on the Environmental Health and Safety of Jet Fuel

The First International Conference on the Environmental Health and Safety of Jet Fuel

Annals of occupational hygiene : R. A. Redwood, K. P. Beale and A. S. Wiseman 1977 20, 369–373

Annals of occupational hygiene : R. A. Redwood, K. P. Beale and A. S. Wiseman 1977 20, 369–373