None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Bangladesh is a developing country that produces a large proportion of the world’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG), employing millions of workers from the country’s low-socioeconomic demographic. These workers are faced with tough working conditions, high workloads and low wages. Monitoring the internal conditions of Bangladeshi RMG factories has shown that these workers are subjected to very high ambient temperatures (~40°C) with high relative humidity (~40%) These conditions render workers vulnerable to dangerous levels of heat-stress and the development of heat-related illness. Therefore, we aim to examine the efficacy of sustainable, low-cost cooling strategies that may be implemented in RMG factories to help improve the internal thermal conditions and reduce the heat-strain experienced by workers.
Interventions
Each participant will take part in 6 experimental trials consisting of 3 hour of simulated heat-stress exposure which replicates the thermal conditions observed inside a Bangladeshi garment factory. The experimental trials will be randomised and will consist of:
1. No cooling (standard practice comparator). Current factory conditions (40°C, 38% relative humidity)
2. Electric fan use (Current factory conditions (40°C, 38% relative humidity))
3. Electric fan use and water consumption (Current fac
Each participant will take part in 6 experimental trials consisting of 3 hour of simulated heat-stress exposure which replicates the thermal conditions observed inside a Bangladeshi garment factory. The experimental trials will be randomised and will consist of: 1. No cooling (standard practice comparator). Current factory conditions (40°C, 38% relative humidity) 2. Electric fan use (Current factory conditions (40°C, 38% relative humidity)) 3. Electric fan use and water consumption (Current factory conditions (40°C, 38% relative humidity)) 4. Green roof (internal factory conditions obtainable via the implementation of external building modifications, 37°.5C. 38% relative humidity) 5. Green roof and electric fan use (internal factory conditions obtainable via the implementation of external building modifications, 37°.5C. 38% relative humidity) 6. Air-conditioning (positive control, 24°C, 40% relative humidity) All experimental trials will be conducted in a climate-controlled chamber, In each exposure, participants will be asked to complete occupational task simulations which mimic sewing and ironing activities (the tasks predominately conducted in ready-made garment factories). Physiological and perceptual responses will be monitored throughout each trial. Each trial will be separated by at least 24 h. Participants will be assigned to the 'sewing' and 'ironing' simulations based on sex: females will be assigned to the sewing task and males to the ironing task. These selections reflect the roles typically performed by workers in in Ready Made Garment Factories in Bangladesh. Compliance/adherence to the 'sewing' and 'ironing' task simulations will be confirmed by the researchers who will supervise participants at all times throughout each experimental trial. Additional details: No cooling: Participants will conduct the simulated work tasks without cooling intervention. Electric fan use: Participants will conduct the simulated work tasks with an electric fan directed at the work-station, providing a wind speed on 1.5 m/s. Electric fan use and water consumption: Participants will conduct the simulated work tasks with and electric fan directed at the work-station, providing a wind speed on 1.5 m/s. Additionally, participants will be provided with 250mL of water every 30 minutes which they can drink ad libitum. Green roof: participants will complete the simulated work tasks in a slightly cooler environment (37.5°C). This reduction in temperature represents the magnitude of change that is achievable by implementing modifications to the factory building (i.e. the instalment of a “green-roof” consisting of vegetative layer). Green roof and electric fan use: participants will complete the simulated work tasks in a slightly cooler environment (37.5°C). This reduction in temperature represents the magnitude of change that is achievable by implementing modifications to the factory building (i.e. the instalment of a “green-roof” consisting of vegetative layer). Additionally, an electric fan directed at the work-station, providing a wind speed on 1.5 m/s. Air-conditioning: participants will complete the simulated work tasks in a much cooler environment (24°C). This environment represents the temperature that is achievable with the use of a conventional air-conditioning system. This experimental exposure will serve as a positive control.
Sponsors
The University of Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Males and females aged 18 to 40. Non-smokers with no history of respiratory, metabolic, cardiovascular, blood pressure disease, or of diabetes and not currently on any medication related to these conditions). No difficult understanding or speaking English.
Exclusion criteria
- Uncontrolled hypertension (greater than 180/110 mmHg). - Uncontrolled diabetes or severe complications of diabetes. - Evidence of severe renal disease, liver disease, cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary disease, endocrine abnormalities, cognitive impairment, psychiatric disorder, substance abuse, degenerative neurological condition or any other medical condition deemed to pose risk during the study visits. - Medication known to cause hyper- or hypo-hidrosis (except those taken for hypertension). - Currently taking a beta-blocker. - Evidence of current fluid and electrolyte disorders - Current diagnosis of anemia - Abnormal thyroid function - Significant cognitive impairment, psychiatric disorder, substance abuse, degenerative neurological condition - Any other medical condition deemed to pose risk during the proposed testing or experiments.
Outcome results
None listed