Thermal stress and physiological strain of children exposed to hot environments in a glass bangle factory

Summary A group of 19 male children (mean age 12.1 years SEM 1.6 years) occupationally exposed to an excessively hot environment for an average duration of 2.5 years SEM 1.7 years in the glass bangle factory in Firozabad, India, were studied to evaluate the physiological strain induced by the thermal radiation (mean radiant temperature 46.2° SEM 5.1° C) and high ambient temperature (38.2° SEM 3.4° C) prevailing in the factory. Over a work-shift the mean increase in oral temperature was 0.90° C in the exposed children, in comparison with the 0.40° C increase recorded in the control children (p<0.05). The maximum increase in oral temperature was recorded in ‘gulliwalas’ (0.90° C) and the minimum in ‘battiwalas’ (0.80° C). The mean peak value of oral temperature (37.5° C) was observed at 1600 hours. A significant increase in the pulse rate (25.9 beats·min⁻¹) during the work-shift was observed in the exposed children in comparison with a mean increase of 9.4 beats·min⁻¹ in the control group. Ventilatory studies showed pulmonary hyperventilation in the exposed workers. The increase in pulmonary ventilation was in the form of an increase in tidal volume and respiratory frequency induced by high environmental temperatures and thermal radiation. The cardio-respiratory responses showed physiological strain induced by the high ambient temperature and radiant heat prevailing in the glass bangle factory.