Work in Harsh Hot Environment: Risk Evaluation on Thermal Stress in a Farm during Green Pruning Activity

Global warming is a phenomenon of rising average temperatures of the earth’s surface that began to develop around the twentieth century. This is particularly important in working environments, where comfort is lower, and the effort required to perform certain activities contributes to increase body temperature. In outdoor environments there is no possibility of adopting preventive measures that substantially change unfavourable climatic conditions. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that it is possible to assess the health risk of workers from exposure to severe hot environment in outdoor farming operations. For the preparation of the study, phases 1 (observation) and 2 (analysis) were followed according to the indications of the technical standard UNI EN ISO 15265:2005. To measure the environmental parameters, two microclimate control units - (Babuc A) multi-data inquisition units were used. The main index calculated in the study was the WBGT. This has been calculated with reference to UNI EN ISO 7243:2017. The workers who participated in the study were six. From the analysis of the data collected, no particular situations of risk of thermal stress emerged for the workers examined, except for the period around 11:00 AM when the WBGT, under the sun, reached values higher than 30°C. In fact, the heart rates measured have always been below the theoretical maximum limit and with these it was possible to calculate the workload during the activity. The metabolic rate defined the type of activity as “moderate” and this evaluation was confirmed by three different evaluation methods (Screening, Analysis and Armband). During the study have been collected useful information to train and inform employers and workers, gives correct example on how this kind of risk should be assessed. Showing that already today it is appropriate to consider it with particular attention, in order to be able to adequately prevent it.