Occupational heat stress and heat related strain assessment in body shop unit of automotive industry / Fathiyah Mohd Fuad

Heat stress are known as one of the occupational health hazards that can present in the workplace due to the exposure of heat whether from process generated and hot
environment. Heat strain on the other hand, are known as part of heat stress problems which can lead to the disruptions of physiological response among workers. The aim of this study was to conduct assessment regarding on heat stress and heat related strain in Body Shop unit of automotive industry which perform welding work as the main activity. Heat stress was measured in Body and Fitting line section of Body Shop unit using of wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) equipment after the monitoring of
workplace conditions was conducted. Meanwhile, heat strain assessment was conducted individually to the selected workers in the same location. The result of
WBGT indoor are slightly high in the Body line section which are at 25.26 ºC compared in the Fitting line section which are only at 25.11 ºC. However, the Relative
Humidity (RH) level in both line section had slightly exceed the acceptable range (from 40% to 70%). The RH in the Body line section was ranged from 60.68% to 80.36% while in the Fitting line section was at 60.80% to 75.88% which may pose a potential to involve with heat stress exposure. The result of Heat Strain Score Index (HSSI) shows that more than half of the participants in both line section had involved with low heat strain (71.43% in Body line section and 75.55% in Fitting line section) (Green Zone) followed by having on potential occurring of heat strain (25.71% in
Body line section and 17.78% in Fitting line section) (Yellow Zone) and least involved with the heat strain occurrence (2.86% in Body line section and 6.67% in Fitting line
section) (Red Zone). Furthermore, Chi square test shows that there are no significant relationship between the exposure of heat stress and HSSI result (p > 0.05). Thus,
workers in both line section tend to expose with heat stress exposure below the acceptable limit and also have low of heat strain exposure which make the condition of the workplace consider safe to perform the job.