Page 163 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, Boštjan Žvanut, eds. 2017. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije ▪︎ Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 163
re have also already been problems with muscle cramps, fainting, and ex- slovenian workers – is it too hot to work? 161
ceptionally heat cramps or even heat stroke.
Figure 6: Heat-induced health problems experienced working during heat
waves (808 workers).
To minimize excessive heat exposure in the workplace, it is recommend-
ed that workers and employers regularly review the potential impacts of heat
on workers’ health and productivity (Lucas et al., 2014), but this is not yet a
common practice in Slovenia. There are some instructions published on the La-
bor Inspectorate web-site (IRSD, 2015) and for internal use on Chamber of safe-
ty and health at work (ZVZD, 2015). However, only workers in the manufactur-
ing plant were in majority informed about heat stress impacts (4 out of 5), while
80% of office workers was not informed by the employer, and also 75% of tour-
ist guides and almost 60% of agricultural workers did not get any heat-related
warning by advisors. Mainly only agricultural advisors in Southwestern Slo-
venia have the necessary knowledge on heat stress and important precautions.
Anyway, workers try to help themselves by drinking more water (80-
90%). In agriculture, the majority of workers try to adjust their working sched-
ule (70%) and take breaks in a cooler space. In office and in tourism they try to
wear appropriate clothes and in tourism also to take breaks in a cooler space
(Figure 7). In the manufacturing plant, they have to follow many regulations
and fulfill the working norm, so they have much less freedom in the choice of
clothing, working schedule and breaks, therefore more than 20% of them an-
swered that they cannot do anything to reduce the exposure to heat stress.
ceptionally heat cramps or even heat stroke.
Figure 6: Heat-induced health problems experienced working during heat
waves (808 workers).
To minimize excessive heat exposure in the workplace, it is recommend-
ed that workers and employers regularly review the potential impacts of heat
on workers’ health and productivity (Lucas et al., 2014), but this is not yet a
common practice in Slovenia. There are some instructions published on the La-
bor Inspectorate web-site (IRSD, 2015) and for internal use on Chamber of safe-
ty and health at work (ZVZD, 2015). However, only workers in the manufactur-
ing plant were in majority informed about heat stress impacts (4 out of 5), while
80% of office workers was not informed by the employer, and also 75% of tour-
ist guides and almost 60% of agricultural workers did not get any heat-related
warning by advisors. Mainly only agricultural advisors in Southwestern Slo-
venia have the necessary knowledge on heat stress and important precautions.
Anyway, workers try to help themselves by drinking more water (80-
90%). In agriculture, the majority of workers try to adjust their working sched-
ule (70%) and take breaks in a cooler space. In office and in tourism they try to
wear appropriate clothes and in tourism also to take breaks in a cooler space
(Figure 7). In the manufacturing plant, they have to follow many regulations
and fulfill the working norm, so they have much less freedom in the choice of
clothing, working schedule and breaks, therefore more than 20% of them an-
swered that they cannot do anything to reduce the exposure to heat stress.
