Health risk assessment on heat exposure among sugarcane cutter in Nongbuadaeng district Chaiyaphum province

Abstract

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess health risk on heat exposure among sugar cane cutters in Nong Bua Daeng District Chaiyaphum Province by applying the health risk assessment for outdoor workers. There were 379 sugarcane cutters participated in this study, using the health risk assessment matrix from 3 parts of information i.e., personal risk factors, outdoor work characteristics and heat illnesses experience. The measurement of heat was performed by the wet bulb globe temperature or WBGT of the sugarcane cutting in working environment. The aggregated score of assessment was categorized into 3 risk levels: low, medium high. The results found that the majority of sugarcane cutters were 40 years old or older (86.81%), had more than 5 years of work experience (88.13%), working outdoors throughout the day (99.74%), and 96.04% exposed to direct sunlight for more than 3 hours a day. Workers had at least one or one heat-related illness (34.30%), with fatigue, muscle weakness or heat exhaustion (22.96%), followed by muscle spasms or cramps (16.89%) and heatstroke (11.41%), and all farmers were not trained to work with heat outdoor. The results of the assessment of the health risk of illness from heat exposure were mostly at risk in the moderate risk level (87.07%), low level (12.93%) and from the heat measurement results, WBGT in average had the maximum 31.2°C compared to the standard of outdoor risk assessment on heat exposure was at moderate risk for heavy workloads. This is consisting with the result of the health risk assessment that most of the farmers were at moderate risk and farmers had experience of heat illness. Therefore, it is recommended to provide training on working with heat to reduce the risk of illness or other health effects caused by heat for sugar cane cutters or farmers with similar working outdoors exposed to the sun for a long day. The health risk assessment method could be suggested to be as a guideline to monitor the risk on heat exposure of sugar cane cutters to prevent heat illness.

Keyword: Health risk assessment on heat, Heat exposure, sugarcane workers

**Corresponding author: Associate Professor Dr. Sunisa Chaiklieng, Department of Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, 123 Tambol Nai-muang, Amphur Muang, Khonkaen 40002, Thailand. Tel. no. 04-3424820, E-mail address: csunis@kku.ac.th

*Master degree student in M.Sc. Occupational Health and Safety Program, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University

**Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University