Objective
Estimate the association between environmental temperature (wet bulb globe temperature [WBGT]) and work rate over the course of a workday.
Methods
Repeated-measures regression was used to identify characteristics impacting work rate in a cross-sectional study of Latino farmworkers. Minute-by-minute work rate (measured by accelerometer) and WBGT were averaged over 15-minute intervals.
Results
Work rate decreased by 4.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], −7.09 to −1.59) counts per minute per degree Celsius WBGT in the previous 15-minute interval. Cumulative quarter hours worked (2.13; 95% CI, 0.82 to 3.45), age (−3.64; 95% CI, −4.50 to −2.79), and dehydration at the end of workday (51.37; 95% CI, 19.24 to 83.50) were associated with counts per minute as were gender, pay type (piece rate vs hourly) and body mass index ≥25 kg/m2. The effects of pay type and body mass index were modified by gender.
Conclusion
Increased temperature was associated with a decrease in work rate.
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