Targeting workload to ameliorate risk of heat stress in industrial sugarcane workers

Abstract

Burned cane cutting and seed cutting in industrial sugarcane production are very physically demanding jobs that expose workers to heat strain. Women performing these jobs tend to work at higher workload intensities than male co-workers. Workers' health protections in industrial sugarcane production should consider work intensity as a risk factor when assessing heat stress.

Association Between Acute Kidney Injury Hospital Visits and Environmental Heat Stress at a Nicaraguan Sugarcane Plantation

“…Other non-mechanized outdoor manual occupations at ISA include repair and management of irrigation tubes and canals, seeding, weeding, and pest control. The physical workload varies between these job groups, but is in many cases high, as previously described (Lucas et al, 2023).…”

“…The probable effect magnitude at 14% increase/WBGT °C (95% CI [−5%, 37%]) over the past week is much larger than the 1% risk increase/ambient temperature °C seen in many general populations ( Liu et al, 2021 ). This is most likely explained by the high metabolic workload of the sugarcane workers ( Lucas et al, 2023 ). A high metabolic heat production in a high environmental heat leads to a substantially larger heat stress than low metabolic heat production in the same environmental heat.…”

“…A qualitative organizational psychology assessment found that foremen throughout the mill were engaged in improving worker health ( Pacheco-Zenteno et al, 2021 ). Thereby, although the Adelante Initiative and PREP research mostly focused on burned cane cutters, seed cutters, drip irrigation repair workers, and their accompanying supervisors and support staff ( Glaser et al, 2020 , 2022 ; Hansson et al, 2019 ) and later also on weeders, seeders and gravity irrigators ( Lucas et al, 2023 ), these interventions and the lessons learned from them have benefited the mill’s workforce at large.…”

Impact of heat and a rest-shade-hydration intervention program on productivity of piece-paid industrial agricultural workers at risk of chronic kidney disease of nontraditional origin

“…The higher productivity in workers aged <45 years as compared to females and older males is likely to be largely a consequence of population-level differences in cardiorespiratory capacity and strength. In a small field-based observational study we have previously shown that women seed cutters work at a higher relative work intensity (based on %HR max ) than their male counterparts ( Lucas et al 2023 ). However, in the current study women workers had a lower sensitivity to heat-related productivity loss (smaller % productivity decline from <28 to >31 WBGT°C ( Fig.…”

“…It appears that the RSH intervention improved workers’ productivity during active work periods. Preventing hyperthermia ( Lucas et al 2023 ) and dehydration ( Glaser et al 2020 ) via regulated hourly shaded rest periods with easy access to hydration beverages could have allowed workers to increase their productivity, just as endurance sports athletes perform better when hyperthermia ( Jones et al 2012 ) and dehydration ( Cheuvront, Carter, and Sawka 2003 ) are prevented. Fewer workers developing fever or other symptoms, or biochemical signs of systemic inflammation, were observed with the RSH intervention ( Glaser et al 2020 , 2022 ; Hansson et al 2020 ), likely also contributing to maintaining productivity.…”