One of the many things that might lead to heat stress in the workplace is the presence of a number of different causes. It is essential to have an understanding of these causes in order for organisations and businesses to be able to determine the appropriate safeguards to implement in the event that these causes are present in their working environment. This can also serve as a useful source for toolbox talks in situations when these causes of this nature are present in the work area. Listed below are the potential contributors to heat stress.

High Air Temperature

The body has an automatic response mechanism to regulate body temperature. This response is called sweating and evaporation. When air temperatures are high, especially when its close to or above body temperatures, the evaporation process is compromised. This will cause the sweat to evaporate less efficiently, thus reducing the effectiveness of the mechanism our body does to regulate its temperature. Additionally, being in a place where the ambient temperature is high can cause the core temperature of the body to rapidly rise to a level that is higher than normal. Those who are exposed to this will experience increased sweating and a loss of electrolytes, both of which can result in dehydration.

Dehydration

A person is said to be dehydrated when they consume or lose more fluid than they take in, and their body is unable to carry out its usual tasks because it does not have sufficient amounts of water and other fluids. You will get dehydrated if you do not restore the fluids that you have lost. One of the important roles of your bodily fluids is to regulate your body temperature. When dehydrated, sweat production is reduced, therefore compromising the natural mechanism that your body uses to cool down. Other than your sweating, when you are dehydrated, cardiovascular strain is imminent due to making your heart work harder to circulate blood to cool your body. This can lead to dizziness, fatigue, and a higher risk of heat-related illnesses.

Drugs

There are certain over-the-counter drugs that we take that can increase a person's body temperature. People may not be aware of this, as we tend to use them only during periods when we are feeling ill. One perfect example is decongestants. These over-the-counter drugs mostly have the side effect of causing vasoconstriction, which reduces heat dissipation and can increase the body temperature. Taking these medications under the exposure of high-temperature environments can contribute greatly to heat stress. That is why when talking to your doctor about your medication, never fail to inform them of the kind of working environments you are in, as some drugs might complicate bodily functions when working in these environments.

High Humidity

The presence of water vapour in the atmosphere is referred to as humidity. The greater the amount of water that evapourates away in a particular area, the greater the amount of water vapour that rises into the air, and the higher the humidity level in that region. Due to the fact that heat causes water to evaporate more quickly, hot regions often have a higher relative humidity than cold places. Having said this, industries where there are work environments that have high humidity also have high temperatures, which increases the risks of heat stress. Areas with high humidity have the same effect as areas with high air temperatures. Body core temperature rises, therefore risking the individual to dehydration and cardiovascular strain.

Low Tolerance to High Heat Environments

There are certain groups of people that are more susceptible to heat stress. This might be because of certain factors of their bodies that comprise their ability to regulate heat, or they are not acclimated to areas with high temperatures. Here are certain groups of people with low tolerance to high heat environments.

Older Age and Heat Stress Awareness

Around age 60, a person's capacity to successfully control their body temperature declines. There are several reasons for this. One cause is that as people age, their sweat glands become less active, which results in the loss of their natural sweating mechanism. Another would be decreased blood flow because blood vessels become less elastic, which makes it more difficult for blood to reach the skin. These are only a few of these issues, so it's crucial to remember that older adults are more vulnerable to heat stress as a result.

Obese People

Like older people, obese people are also very susceptible to heat stress due to a number of factors. Aside from the fact that they generally produce more body heat, one factor would be because of their excess body fat. This will act as another layer of insulation, which hinders the process of heat exchange, making it hard for the body to lower its temperature. Another would be their ability to sweat is compromised since the ratio of sweat glands to body mass is out of balance, therefore losing the effectivity of cooling the body.

Heat Stress Amongst People with Illnesses

People who are inherently ill can be more susceptible to heat stress because of the effects of their sickness. For example, an individual's sweat response is affected due to nerve damage brought by diabetes. Another would be people with respiratory diseases like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) would have problems being in high heat environments since it could heavily affect their breathing. Persons with cardiovascular diseases can further strain their hearts in high-heat environments since the heart would work harder to pump more blood to cool down the body.

People not acclimated to specific environments

These certain indviduals are not accustomed to stay long at certain environments since they have not been acclimated to be in such areas. For example, a certain activity takes place in a tropical area, where the sun shines bright, and humidity and heat is high.People who grew up in colder regions might be more suceptible to heat stress when workling here compared to the ones who grew up accustomed to the climate of the region. To get used to such climate one must first slowly adapt to fully get acclimmated to it.

Excessive Exposure to the Sun

Sunlight is a form of electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun. While it provides vitamin D and other benefits at certain times of the day, it can also cause harm when excessively exposed to it. Unlike before, the sun isn't too harsh on our skin, but because of the depleting ozone layer, the ultraviolet levels in sunlight are increasing to the point that it can already harm us. This can cause sunburns, which damage the skin and sweat glands. Having compromised sweat glands can increase the risk of heat stress, since the glands responsible for producing sweat, which regulates the body temperature, are now damaged.

These are a few of the following causes of heat stress. To understand better if an individual is experiencing heat stress, read more on : Heat Stress Symptoms