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Climate change is increasing the risk of heat stress and extending its impacts to new sectors, but a researcher at Laurentian University believes wearable technology can help understand the effects of heat on the body and develop effective prevention strategies.

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Sandra DormanDirector of the Centre for Research in the Field of Safety and Health at Work (CROSH) and Professor at the School of Kinesiology and Health Scienceshas a Heat Stress ToolkitIt is intended to support employers and employees in addressing and preventing occupational heat stress.

Dorman’s research focuses on health promotion and disease prevention in the workplace. She has spent the last year researching heat stress and its significant impact on worker productivity and overall health, and using this research to develop a comprehensive resource.

CROSH worked with Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc (OHCOW) to create the toolkit and provide broad access. in addition via the OHCOW website. The digital resource includes guides, infographics, videos and calculators and is available in English, French and Spanish.

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“Although heat can cause serious acute injuries such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, heat stress is also considered an occupational disease because regular exposure can lead to serious long-term health problems,” Dorman said.

“An estimated 220 Canadians die each year from occupational heat stress and an estimated 15 percent of workers who frequently work under heat stress will develop heat illness, predominantly kidney disease. A heat illness prevention plan is essential not only to prevent immediate heat stress injuries, but also to reduce future health risks.”

Dorman said effective management of heat stress could prevent diseases such as kidney disease, brain damage and cardiovascular problems, stressing the importance of monitoring.

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Wearable technologies such as body sensors similar to those found in smartwatches have become effective monitoring tools that reliably measure physiological parameters such as heart rate and approximate core body temperature, among others.

The Guide to physiological monitoring is a decision-making toolkit designed to help employers select wearable technology products to enhance their heat illness prevention plan and create work and rest schedules for their team.

“We have been studying these technologies for use in high-risk occupations such as miners and wildfire fighters as part of a company’s heat illness prevention plan,” Dorman said. “While their implementation can be valuable, it also brings new challenges for workers and workplaces and is certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution.”

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“However, given climate change, I expect these tools to spread rapidly, as we are already seeing an explosion of interest in a wide range of workplaces, including places not traditionally considered heat-prone. Particularly among healthcare workers who wear personal protective equipment for extended periods of time and teachers who are faced with overheated classrooms.”

CROSH said funding agreements were recently renewed, allowing Dorman to continue studying heat stress for the next three years. She said she looks forward to further exploring the effectiveness of wearable technology in real-world situations through field testing and lab studies of the device. Environmental Chamber at Laurentian University.

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X: @SudburyStar

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