Research Project Summary

Year Funded: 2010 Budget: $258,411.00 Funding Agency: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario
Title: Heat exposure limits for older workers in deep mechanized mining
Category: Occupational Disease, Injury and Health Services
Subcategory: Occupational Disease
Keywords: Worker Injury, Aging, Thermoregulation, Type 2 Diabetes, Heat stress
Link to research website:

Issue:

Current workplace heat safety guidelines are primarily based on research performed on young, healthy individuals, placing aging workers and those with chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes) at risk. Given that the Ontario mining workforce is rapidly aging and continuing to develop chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, it is critically important to elucidate the extent of thermoregulatory impairment associated with these conditions so that appropriate safety guidelines can be implemented to provide protection for all workers.

Objectives:

The objectives of this study are:
1. to revise current guidelines to include recommendations for older workers and those with type 2 diabetes, based on the new knowledge acquired from the proposed studies (see pages 19-22 for details); and,
2. to generate the best and most up-to-date information to inform a) heat vulnerable populations of the effect of heat and work on their health and safety; and b) management about effective heat stress prevention and control measures to manage heat stress in mines to protect more vulnerable individuals such as older workers and those with type 2 diabetes.

Anticipated Results:

The study will adapt the current procedures, guidelines and management approaches to protect vulnerable workers against heat stress. A key outcome of this work is the verification of exposure limits and work-rest schedules for heat stress in some of the most vulnerable workers. The assessment of the influence of clothing and air velocity on heat tolerance limits will provide valuable information needed to improve the heat stress countermeasures to extend exposure times within safe limits. The findings will lead to the improvement and/or development of heat stress monitoring guidelines and management strategies for vulnerable workers which may include: 1) the design, implementation and monitoring policies of heat stress management, 2) health and fitness assessment guidelines for work in hot environments; and, 3) training of supervisors and managers responsible for heat tolerance screening. Finally, knowledge gained from this work can be used to improve current and future ventilation and refrigeration system designs that would be matched to the needs of the worker.

Investigators:

Glen P. Kenny, Heather E. Wright, Jane E. Yardley, Stephanie Page (University of Ottawa), Stephen G. Hardcastle (Natural Resources Canada), Andrew J.E. Seely, Timothy O. Ramsay (The Ottawa Hospital-General Campus), Michel B. DuCharme (Defence Research & Development Canada-Valcartier)