Abstract
Skin problems, resulting from heat, are mainly caused in field workers through long periods of exposure to sun rays. In operational fields, there can be times when the local temperature will exceed 30°C, provoking an increase in body temperature that leads to significant changes in the skin (i.e., increase in perspiration, dermatitis, and eczemas), which can affect the quality of life and performance in the company's workers. In addition to skin irritation, excessive exposure to the sun can also cause cornea problems and can potentially lead to dehydration after the journey.
In addition to heat stress, employees working in excessively cold working environments can experience cold stress, which can potentially lead to hypothermia. To combat these stresses, an epidemiological surveillance system for employees exposed to extreme temperatures has been developed. This system allows companies to analyze and apply operational controls to minimize heat and cold stress.
Even though it is difficult to predict who will be affected by heat or cold stress and when, companies realize that certain environmental factors can affect an individual's response to heat or cold (i.e., ambient air temperature, radiant heat, air movement, conduction, and relative humidity).
