Assessment of construction workers' hydration status using urine specific gravity
Saideh Montazer1, Ali Asghar Farshad, Mohammad Reza Monazzam
1Occupational Health Research Center (OHRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Summary
Urine specific gravity (USG) can predict thermal stress in construction workers. Higher USG levels in sun-exposed workers indicate dehydration risk, highlighting the need to monitor hydration status alongside heat stress management.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Physiology
- Sports Science
Background:
- Construction workers face significant heat stress, impacting their health and performance.
- Hydration status is crucial for thermoregulation and mitigating heat-related illnesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate hydration status using urine specific gravity (USG) in Iranian construction workers.
- To investigate the relationship between thermal stress indicators and hydration levels.
Main Methods:
- A comparative experimental study involving 60 construction workers divided into sun-exposed and non-exposed groups.
- Urine specific gravity (USG) and total workload (TWL) were measured over two consecutive days at different work shift intervals.
Main Results:
- Sun-exposed workers exhibited significantly higher mean USG (1.026) compared to the control group (1.0213).
- A substantial percentage of exposed workers (38%) showed USG levels indicating a higher risk of heat illness, with 12.72% clinically dehydrated.
- A significant positive correlation was found between USG and TWL, indicating a link between thermal stress and hydration status.
Conclusions:
- Urine specific gravity (USG) serves as a reliable predictor of thermal stress in occupational settings.
- USG measurements effectively detect hydration level variations influenced by thermal and climatic conditions.
- Effective heat stress management requires integrating hydration status monitoring for construction workers.
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