[Evaluation of individual thermal load in working environments with non-homogeneous microclimatic conditions]

It is often very difficult to quantify the potential thermal stress of jobs requiring high worker mobility in unevenly hot environments. The determination of integrated indexes such as HSI can be a cause of error in risk evaluation. However, monitoring of physiological parameters of exposed workers, such as internal body temperature, provides a direct expression of man-environment interaction. On the basis of measurement of micro-climatic parameters and internal body temperature of subjects employed in a glass production plant, an attempt was made to calculate an integrated index of thermal stress risk which reflected the job requirements. The mathematical model used was the one proposed by Givoni and Goldman for prediction of rectal temperature and heart rate response to work in hot environments.