Workplace induced heat-related-illness and kidney disorders amongst coal cutters of underground mines

Abstract

Workers in hot underground coal mines could develop heat-related illnesses, (especially skin, digestion and kidney problems), as compared to workers in non-hot mines. This study found severity of this situation by comparing heat illness symptoms, core body and skin temperature and kidney malfunctioning amongst workers of both types of mines. Ingestible thermometric pills (sending readings to Sensor Electronic Module every 15 s), skin temperature probes (connected to various body parts and sending readings to loggers) and laboratory analysis of pre- and post-shift samples of blood and urine, US-NIOSH-HETA-2012 sheet to survey symptoms, were used to collect data from 50 workers (25 from five hot mines (G1) and 25 from five non-hot mines (G2)). Two mine groups showed significant differences ( p-value <.001) regarding wet-bulb globe temperature, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity. The highest core body temperature was 38.8°C in G1 and 37.9°C in G2. In intra-group comparison for kidney functioning, post-shift samples showed haematocrit (%) was reduced to 43.6 ± 2.1 from 45.4 ± 1.4 in G1 and to 44.0 ± 2.9 from 45.0 ± 0.75 in G2, and estimated glomerular filtration rate was reduced from 100 ± 19 to 94 ± 0 mL/min/1.72 m2 in G1 and to 113 ± 15 from 115 ± 19a in G2 workers. The comparison showed hot mines could induce heat-related illnesses which would necessitate intervention to reduce exposure.