An improved method for describing the effects of heat radiation on men.

At industrial workplaces radiant heat load is often the dominant heat stress factor. Based on 900 climatic chamber experiments on humans, this study was conducted to develop a physiologically validated index-method to evaluate climates with intensified heat radiation. A comparison shows that the international recommended heat stress indices are not suitable to evaluate such climates correctly. By application of the new index-method into the commonly used indices, the improvement for the prediction of thermal stress effects in view of climates with increased heat radiation is discussed.