The relationship between heat stress on the vital factors and cognitive function Sarcheshmeh copper smelter workers in 2018

Abstract

Introduction: Thermal stress and high physical activity reduce blood flow to the brain and decrease the mental performance of individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Heat stress on vital factors and cognitive function of Workers of Sarcheshmeh copper in Kerman. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on fifty-six Workers of Sarcheshmeh Copper smelter in 2018. First, the environmental parameters and WBGT index were measured in the work environment of the staff in accordance with ISO7243. Then, in three stages (initial shift, mid shift and end of shift), vital factors (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) and cognitive function (CPT and N-back tests) were measured. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20 software. Results: In this industry, the average vital factors of Workers at work stations were significantly different at different stages of activity (p 0.05), and this relationship was significant for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p <0.05). There was a significant difference between the mean cognitive functions of staff in CPT and N-Back tests in different stages of activity (p <0.05). Conclusion: Heat Stress Affect physiological responses and decrease mental function of individuals. Physiological parameters during activity are increased at the beginning and the end of activity, and the cognitive functions of the Workers at the end of activity are less than their cognitive performance during and after the work activity.

Keywords

• wbgt index
• thermal stress
• vital factors
• cognitive function