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Skin temperatures of sedentary and working males and females.

Boyd DW; Konz SA; Rohles FH Jr.

Institute for Environmental Research, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, 1982 Jan; :1-23

00181312

Experiments on heat stress were conducted in sedentary and working men and women. In the first experiment, 262 seminude sedentary men and women were exposed to 4 hours at temperatures of 22, 26, 28, and 40 degrees-C New Effective Temperature (ET). In the second experiment, 12 young healthy heat acclimatized males performed a step test while clothed in industrial clothing and exposed to temperatures of 33, 35, 36, and 38 degrees-C ET. Mean skin temperature seemed to be more dependent on dry bulb environmental temperature than on humidity, at least when exposed to environmental temperatures of 50 degrees-C. In both experiments skin temperatures exhibited a rapid response to changes in environmental conditions. For clothed subjects this response was somewhat slower. Under the 38 degrees-C ET condition, mean skin temperatures reached well over 38 degree C in the first experiment and appeared to be in a steady state. In the second study, mean skin temperatures peaked somewhat below 37 degrees-C, exhibiting a downward trend throughout the rest of the day. Even though the subjects in the second experiment were working much of the time and generating more internal heat, their skin temperatures were lower. The authors concluded that mean skin temperature was related to environmental temperature and clothing insulation.

NIOSH-Grant; Workplace-studies; Heat-exposure; Sex-factors; Body-temperature; Work-clothing; Temperature-effects; Heat-stress

Inst for Environmental Res Kansas State University Institute for Env Research Manhattan, Kans 66506

19820101

Final Grant Report

227152

Grant

1982

PB88-247994

A03

Grant-Number-R01-OH-00874

OEP

Institute for Environmental Research, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas

KS

Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas