Risk Assessment of Occupational Heat-Related Illness among outdoor farmers exposed to the sun on Northeastern region of Thailand

Abstract

This cross- sectional descriptive study designed to assess risk of occupational heat-related illness of outdoor farmers Northeastern provincial group, Thailand. Data were collected from 76 farmers from December 2021 to April 2022 by the interviewed questionnaire and measurements of working conditions by Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer (WBGT), humidity meter and air velocity monitor. Risk was evaluated by the matrix of the combination of the likelihood and the severity levels of heat-related illness. Results show that most participants were female, average age were 56.37 years, marital status: married, divorced, and separated 75.00, educational background were primary school 73.84%, planting rice 93.42%, farm owner 64.08% on cultivating area less than 16,000 squares meters. The working condition had WBGT range at 26.80-33.90 °C, average wind speed at 0.8-3.1 m/s, average relative humidity at 53-66%, the average WBGT at 32-34 °C 68.42% with heavy workload (>350 kcal/hr.) 89.80%, most of the severity levels of heat symptom were level 0 (not have any symptom) 36.84% followed by level 3 (severe; syncope, tachycardia, muscular weakness etc.) 35.53% and level 2 (low; heat fatigue, shortness of breath, high body temperature etc.) 13.16%. When we classify each sign and symptom, we found that, Top three of the most common heat-related signs and symptoms were heat fatigue (high severity) 31.58% followed by headache (low severity) 25.00% and heavy thirsty (mild severity) 22.37% respectively. Agriculturist had risk level 2 (low risk) 38.16% followed by level 3 (moderate) 15.79%, level 4 (high) 35.53, and level 5 (very high) 10.53%. In conclusion, suggest farmers to have training on how to control heat stress and to recognize symptoms of heat illness. Farmers who had a high risk of heat-related-illness more must be decreased the workload to reduce the risk level of heat-related illness. Further investigations should be focused on the factors associated with heat-related illness to prevent of diseases.