Physiological Monitoring for Heat Stress Management

What is Physiological Monitoring?

• A basic way to measure the level of an individual’s heat strain in response to heat stress conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, heart rate monitoring & body temperature measurement.
• It does not include parameters that may be considered medical monitoring (measuring blood pressure, oxygen saturation, urine testing, or cardiac rhythm).

Physiological Monitoring may be required when:

• WBGT monitoring is not sufficient or feasible.
• Work will occur that is likely outside of the established work/rest regimens
• Additional information on worker heat stress is needed
• Work will occur in semi- or impermeable clothing ensembles such as polyethylene coated Tyvek or vapor barrier coveralls
• Heavy to very heavy work is performed, regardless of clothing level

Hanford Tank Farms Thermal Stress Issues

• Extended outdoor work in anti-contamination clothing and respiratory protection
• Desert environment (high radiant loading/low humidity)
• Tropical work shift schedule options
• Record setting heat levels in 2014 and expected in 2015
• High exertion work requirements
• Past difficulty implementing engineering and admin. controls as part of planned work
• Aging workforce/high bump and roll influx of newer workers
• Worker job jeopardy concerns
• Bargaining unit labor contract issues
• Legacy issues of prior programs and practices
• Past reliance on ‘self-identification’ of heat stress symptoms