Wearable Technology for Feedyard Safety

Cattle feedyard workers are at high risk of heat stress and illness due to being outdoors for long hours in high heat and humidity. Wearable technology has the potential to provide a warning system so that at-risk workers can take a break, move into a shaded area, and hydrate before heat illness results in lost work time.

The MākuSafe wearable device was used to monitor heat warnings in 15 cattle feedyard workers. We collected environmental temperatures and heat warnings from wearable devices at a single feedyard from June 1 through September 30, 2023. We assessed the number of heat warnings and the maximum temperature where they were most likely to occur using segmented logistic regression to model the nonlinear relationship between temperature and heat warning and to understand the threshold at which heat warnings occurred. The Pseudo Score Test was used to assess for a changepoint in the logistic regression model with temperature predicting a heat warning for the number of days the wearable device was used in 15 workers.

The Pseudo Score Test identified a single statistically significant changepoint (p < .0001). The Davies test confirmed the result and estimated the change at 78°F. The covariates worker role or hours worked that day were not significantly associated with the probability of a heat warning.

These findings revealed that the probability of a heath warning occurring at a relatively low temperature of 78°F, which can aid workplace management with heat stress management and preparedness to protect worker health.