School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
School of Population and Public Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 29;17(3):846. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030846.
Epidemiological evidence has shown an association between exposure to high temperatures and occupational injuries, an issue gaining importance with environmental change. The aim of this study was to better understand contributing risk factors and preventive actions based on personal experiences. Interviews were conducted with 21 workers from five Australian states using a critical phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of participants, whilst exploring contextual factors that surround these experiences. Two case studies are presented: a cerebrovascular injury and injuries among seasonal horticulture workers. Other accounts of heat-related injuries and heat stress are also presented. Risk factors were classified as individual, interpersonal and organizational. In terms of prevention, participants recommended greater awareness of heat risks and peer-support for co-workers. Adding value to current evidence, we have provided new insights into the etiology of the health consequences of workplace heat exposure with workers identifying a range of influencing factors, prevention measures and adaptation strategies. Underpinning the importance of these are future climate change scenarios, suggesting that extended hot seasons will lead to increasing numbers of workers at risk of heat-stress and associated occupational injuries.
流行病学证据表明，高温暴露与职业伤害之间存在关联，随着环境变化，这一问题变得越来越重要。本研究旨在基于个人经验，更好地了解相关风险因素和预防措施。采用批判现象学方法，对来自澳大利亚五个州的 21 名工人进行了访谈，以捕捉参与者的生活体验，同时探讨了这些体验所围绕的环境因素。呈现了两个案例研究：脑血管损伤和季节性园艺工人的伤害。还介绍了其他与热有关的伤害和热应激的报告。风险因素分为个体、人际和组织。在预防方面，参与者建议提高对热风险的认识，并为同事提供同伴支持。除了现有的证据，我们还为工作场所热暴露对健康后果的病因学提供了新的见解，工人们确定了一系列影响因素、预防措施和适应策略。支撑这一点的是未来的气候变化情景，这表明炎热季节的延长将导致更多的工人面临热应激和相关职业伤害的风险。
