Effect of Simulated Work in Artificial Climate Chamber on Physiological and Psychological Responses of Construction Workers With Air-Conditioned Wear

Abstract

To extract the effects of air-conditioned wear (ACW), we carried out experiments to measure the physiological and psychological responses of workers performing simulated construction work in an artificial climate chamber at controlled room temperatures of 29 and 34. The workers wore ACW or not. The effects of wearing ACW on skin temperature, sublingual temperatures, sweat rate and heart rate were significant only at 34. We propose that the heart rate varies due to sweat content of clothing reflecting dehydration which varies significantly depending on environmental temperature and whether or not the worker is wearing ACW.

Effectiveness of a Method of Evaluating the Clothing Comfort Sensation in a Perspiration State by Measuring Psychophysiological Responses

“…It is possible that such a complex thermal discomfort sensation can be estimated using the CVRR. A previous study [19] reported that the CVRR is significantly higher when wearing work wear with a fan to prevent heat stroke than when wearing work wear without a fan. The CVRR is therefore an index of comfort related to stuffiness and thermal stimulus.…”

Effect of ventilated workwear and working schedule on physiological and psychological responses of construction workers, no. 2: Actual investigation at an active construction site

“…In addition, since the occupations that were measured at the CS (FWs and RPs) were the same as the occupations in AC experiments, the relationship between the ER and rate of naked BWL of CWs wearing/not wearing VWW was determined based on the results of the AC experiment. 7 The rate of naked BWL (sweat rate + insensible perspiration), which is difficult to measure at the CS, was estimated from the regression formula and the effects of wearing/not wearing VWW and WS on the rate of naked BWL were evaluated. Figure 3 shows the measurement results of the thermal environment on the ground.…”

“…Therefore, CWs working late in the afternoon are particularly prone to dehydration. The results estimated from the path model of Yamazaki et al 7 revealed that the HR during PM2 was approximately 6 bpm higher than that during AM1. The higher HR during PM2 caused the MST to be 0.7°C higher in PM1 and 0.6°C higher in PM2 compared to that in AM1 (F(1, 3) = 3.899, P < .05) and the sublingual temperature to be 0.3°C higher in PM1 and PM2 than in AM1 (F(1, 3) = 2.837, P < .05) as indicated in Figure 7.…”

“…Thus, an effect of VWW on the ER was not observed, similar to the results of the AC experiment. 7 The ratio of RWI to rate of naked BWL of CWs not wearing VWW was 1/2 to 1/3 smaller than that of CWs wearing VWW ( Figure 10C). Therefore, CWs not wearing VWW are more likely to develop dehydration than those wearing VWW.…”

“…To evaluate the effect of VWW under controlled conditions in terms of temperature, activity, and clothing, the authors conducted an experiment with human participants using an AC from May to June 2017. 7 In an environment (air temperatures of 29 and 34°C and relative humidity of 50%) simulating a CS, the study participants (rebar placers (RPs) and FWs) performed simulated work, and their physiological and psychological responses when wearing/not wearing VWW were measured. The amounts of naked and clothed body weight loss (BWL) were measured, and the sweat content of their clothing (SCC) was calculated from the difference between the two.…”