Physiological and Thermal Sensation Responses to Severe Cold Exposure (-20 °C)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024

Authors

Zlatar, T (Author) Other; Bustos, D (Author) FEUP; Costa, JT (Author) Other; João Santos Baptista (Author) FEUP; Guedes, J. C. (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Safety

Vol. 10

Final page: 19

ISSN: 2313-576X

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citation

Scopus - 1 Citation

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-010-8C9

DOI: 10.3390/safety10010019

Abstract (EN): Various jobs, indoors and outdoors, are subjected to severe cold temperatures during daily activities. Extremely low-temperature exposure and work intensity affect health, safety, and occupational performance. This work aimed to assess the physiological and thermal sensation responses before, during, and following a 60 min exposure to cold (-20 degrees C), during which occupational activities were developed. Using ingestible telemetric temperature pills, eight skin temperature sensors, blood pressure equipment, and the Thermal Sensation Questionnaire, experiments were conducted with 11 healthy male volunteers wearing highly insulating cold protective clothing. The most notorious alterations were reported in mean skin temperatures and thermal sensation responses during the first 20 min of cold exposure. Among the eight skin temperature points, the forehead and left hand showed a higher sensitivity to cold. The mean core temperature reported significant variations throughout the protocol, with decreases during the initial 10 min of cold exposure and posterior increases despite the cold environment. Blood pressure showed slight increases from the initial to the recovery period. Overall, outcomes contribute to current scientific knowledge on physiological and perception responses in extremely cold environments while describing the influence of protective clothing and occupational activities on these responses. Future research should be developed with additional skin temperature measurements in the extremities (fingers, face, and toes) and the analysis of thermal sensation potential associations with performance changes, which can also be of great significance for future thermal comfort models.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 19