Background: Occupational heat exposure can provoke health problems that increase the risk of certain diseases and affect workers’ ability to maintain healthy and productive lives. This study investigates the effects of occupational heat stress on workers’ physiological strain and labor productivity, as well as examining multiple interventions to mitigate the problem. Methods: We monitored 518 full work-shifts obtained from 238 experienced and acclimatized individuals who work in key industrial sectors located in Cyprus, Greece, Qatar, and Spain. Continuous core body temperature, mean skin temperature, heart rate, and labor productivity were collected from the beginning to the end of all work-shifts. Results: In workplaces where self-pacing is not feasible or very limited, we found that occupational heat stress is associated with the heat strain experienced by workers. Strategies focusing on hydration, work-rest cycles, and ventilated clothing were able to mitigate the physiological heat strain experienced by workers. Increasing mechanization enhanced labor productivity without increasing workers’ physiological strain. Conclusions: Empowering laborers to self-pace is the basis of heat mitigation, while tailored strategies focusing on hydration, work-rest cycles, ventilated garments, and mechanization can further reduce the physiological heat strain experienced by workers under certain conditions.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a simulated heat-wave on the labour productivity and physiological strain experienced by workers. Methods: Seven males were confined for ten days in controlled ambient conditions. A familiarisation day was followed by three (pre, during, and post-heat-wave) 3-day periods. During each day volunteers participated in a simulated work-shift incorporating two physical activity sessions each followed by a session of assembly line task. Conditions were hot (work: 35.4 °C; rest: 26.3 °C) during, and temperate (work: 25.4 °C; rest: 22.3 °C) pre and post the simulated heat-wave. Physiological, biological, behavioural, and subjective data were collected throughout the study. Results: The simulated heat-wave undermined human capacity for work by increasing the number of mistakes committed, time spent on unplanned breaks, and the physiological strain experienced by the participants. Early adaptations were able to mitigate the observed implications on the second and third days of the heat-wave, as well as impacting positively on the post-heat-wave period. Conclusions: Here, we show for first time that a controlled simulated heat-wave increases workers’ physiological strain and reduces labour productivity on the first day, but it promotes adaptations mitigating the observed implications during the subsequent days.

Background: Chilblains/perniosis is a non-freezing cold injury causing painful inflammatory skin lesions. Its pathogenesis remains poorly understood because it is often studied as secondary to other underlying conditions. Methods: We systematically investigated the population characteristics, symptoms, and predisposing factors of chilblains in healthy adults exposed to cool/cold environments. We screened PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and we adopted PRISMA reporting guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42021245307). The risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers (RTI item bank). Random-effects model meta-analyses were performed to calculate the pooled prevalence of histopathological features. Mixed-effects meta-regressions were used to assess other sources of between-study heterogeneity. Results: Thirteen studies (477 patients) were included. Chilblains affect more women than men, up to 12% of the body skin surface, and most frequently, the hands and fingers. Meta-analyses of nine studies (303 patients) showed a frequent presence of perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate (81%), basal epidermal-cell layer vacuolation (67%), papillary dermal edema (66%), and perieccrine lymphocytic infiltrate (57%). Meta-regressions (p ≤ 0.05) showed that smoking and frequent occupational exposure to water increase the likelihood of histopathological features. Conclusions: The population characteristics, symptoms, and predisposing factors of chilblains revealed in this analysis should be incorporated in medical care to improve the condition’s diagnosis and management.

Aim: Warm-up activates muscular thermogenesis leading to enhanced athletic performance and reduced risk for exercise-induced injuries. However, very little is known about the thermo physiological responses of elite basketball players during the time spent on bench (BENCH) and consequently its impact on athletic performance in cool environments. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of BENCH on the thermo physiological responses and athletic performance of elite basketball players. Material & Method: Six elite male basketball players (age, 24.9 ± 4.6 year; BMI, 25.5 ± 1.8 kg/m2) participated in the study. Following a 20-min warm up, the participants were randomly allocated in four different scenarios: (i) 9-min BENCH wearing basketball uniform, (ii) 9-min BENCH wearing basketball uniform and insulative clothing, (iii) 23-min BENCH wearing basketball uniform, and (iv) 23-min BENCH wearing basketball uniform and insulative clothing. The athletic performance of the participants was examined by conducting fitness test pre- and post-BENCH scenarios. Mean skin temperature (Tsk) was calculated from two sites (arm and thigh), while ambient temperature was recorded using a portable weather station. Results: Ambient temperature (16.8 ± 1.2 °C) ranged from 18.2 to 15.5 °C. We identified an increase of 1 °C in Tsk during 23-min BENCH scenarios (p < 0.05). Similarly, we found that counter-movement jump was significantly reduced after 23-min BENCH with basketball uniform (−2.8 cm) and 23-min BENCH with basketball uniform and insulative clothing (−3.4 cm, p < 0.05). On the other hand, there were no statistically significant differences in Tsk and athletic performance between the baseline and post 9-min BENCH measures (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The present study showed that 23 min of bench time reduces high-intensity players’ performance in both conditions (23 min bench time + basketball uniform, 23 min bench time + basketball uniform and insulative clothing) in cool environment. Thus, further studies are needed in order to identify factors causing impaired performance.