Effects of an Electrolyte Additive on Hydration and Drinking Behavior During Wildfire Suppression

Cuddy, John S.; Ham, Julie; Harger, Stephanie G.; Slivka, Dustin; Ruby, Brent C.

doi:10.1580/07-weme-or-114.1

Cited by 33 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The majority of utility workers were significantly dehydrated at the commencement and cessation of a shift, a common observation for emergency responders (22,23) and miners (11,24,25) working in similar environmental conditions. Preshift dehydration combined with high sweat rates can result in deteriorating hydration status.…”

Section: Fluid Balancementioning

confidence: 87%

Working in Hot Conditions—A Study of Electrical Utility Workers in the Northern Territory of Australia

Brearley¹,

Harrington²,

Lee³

et al. 2015

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

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Environmental conditions of Australia's Northern Territory are seasonally conducive to excessive body heat storage by outdoor workers. For electrical utility workers who periodically work at height, in confined space, and in proximity to live power sources, the impact of the climate may be considered a hazardous condition. Therefore, this study examined the physiological and fluid balance responses of 20 power network workers (31.5 years; 86.0 kg; 1.71 m; BMI 29.5) throughout work shifts in the Northern and Southern regions of the Northern Territory, Australia. Twenty male heat-acclimatized power network workers provided written informed consent to be monitored during maintenance of electrical infrastructure that included replacing power pole components and transformer and substation repairs in the Northern (n = 13) and Southern regions (n = 7) of the Northern Territory (mean wet-bulb globe temperatures of 32.0°C and 28.7°C, respectively). An ingestible telemetry pill provided measurement of gastrointestinal temperature (Tgi), that when combined with heart rate values, provided physiological strain index (PSI). Urine specific gravity, sweat rate, and level of dehydration were also determined. The Tgi values of this study were within the ISO9886 limit for monitored, heat-acclimatized workers, with a peak of 38.4°C. Mean PSI was 2.6, which represents overall low strain, with periods of moderate strain. Urinary analysis indicated that workers were dehydrated prior to and following the work shift, however the mean sweat rate of 0.44 L.h(-1) was matched by fluid consumption of 0.42 L.h(-1) to limit body mass loss to 0.1% during the shift. This study demonstrates that heat acclimatized electrical utility workers adhere to ISO9886 requirements when undertaking self-paced activity in hot conditions.

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Section: Fluid Balancementioning

confidence: 87%

Working in Hot Conditions—A Study of Electrical Utility Workers in the Northern Territory of Australia

Brearley¹,

Harrington²,

Lee³

et al. 2015

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

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“…For example, several studies have reported no differences in activity levels between shifts or between 2-h periods, suggesting that firefighters pace themselves to ensure operations are completed [7,11,12]. In contrast, others have reported that physical activity levels are higher during the first wildfire shift (or 2-h period within-shift) and decrease over time [13,14]. Whilst these studies provide insights into how physical activity levels may change within- or between-shifts as a result of situational contexts (e.g., intensity of the fire), the between-person or between-group (e.g., different hydration status groups) nature of the analyses do not account for within-person effects across a shift or between shifts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firefighters’ Physical Activity across Multiple Shifts of Planned Burn Work

Chappel

Aisbett

Vincent

et al. 2016

IJERPH

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Little is currently known about the physical activity patterns of workers in physically demanding populations. The aims of this study were to (a) quantify firefighters’ physical activity and sedentary time within (2-h periods) and across planned burn shifts; and (b) examine whether firefighters’ activity levels during one shift or 2-h period was associated with their activity levels in the following shift or 2-h period. Thirty-four salaried firefighters (26 men, 8 women) wore an Actical accelerometer for 28 consecutive days. Time spent sedentary (SED) and in light- (LPA), moderate- (MPA) and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) were derived using validated cut-points. Multilevel analyses (shift, participant) were conducted using generalised linear latent and mixed models. Firefighters spent the majority of a planned burn shift (average length 10.4 h) or 2-h period engaged in LPA (69% and 70%, respectively). No significant associations were observed between SED and physical activity levels between consecutive planned burned shifts or 2-h periods. The physical activity that a firefighter engaged in during one shift (or 2-h period) did not subsequently affect their physical activity levels in the subsequent shift (or 2-h period). Further research is needed to establish how workers in physically demanding populations are able to sustain their activity levels over long periods of time.

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“…These tasks are usually performed in difficult conditions unique to wildland firefighting including inhaling smoke (Wegesser et al 2009), high environmental temperatures Budd 2001), the weight of the personal protective equipment (*6 kg) (Ruby et al 2002), and working on steep terrain . However, other than one report on heart rate and core temperature responses in wildland firefighters during training exercises , few reports on activity levels using accelerometry (Heil 2002;Cuddy et al 2007Cuddy et al , 2008, and a number of reports on remarkably normal core temperatures during wildland firefighting Cuddy et al 2008), there is a limit direct physiological monitor data (i.e., HR and core temperature) during real wildfires.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, comparatively little information about the physiological challenges associated with wildfire firefighting is available Budd 2001;Ruby et al 2002;Heil 2002;Cuddy et al 2007). In addition, most of the studies that have been carried out with wildland firefighters have been conducted under simulated conditions Budd 2001) with few studies conducted during real wildfire suppression (Ruby et al 2002;Cuddy et al 2008). Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the physiological demands and thermal strain of wildland firefighters during real wildfire suppression according to the duration of firefighting activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological work demands of Spanish wildland firefighters during wildfire suppression

Rodríguez-Marroyo

López-Satué

Pernía

et al. 2011

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Effects of an Electrolyte Additive on Hydration and Drinking Behavior During Wildfire Suppression

Cited by 33 publications

References 31 publications

Working in Hot Conditions—A Study of Electrical Utility Workers in the Northern Territory of Australia

Working in Hot Conditions—A Study of Electrical Utility Workers in the Northern Territory of Australia

Firefighters’ Physical Activity across Multiple Shifts of Planned Burn Work

Physiological work demands of Spanish wildland firefighters during wildfire suppression

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