Open AccessReactions to hand cooling in workers occupationally exposed to cold.
Author(s) -
Ann Enander,
Björn Sköldström,
Ingvar Holmér
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.621
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1795-990X
pISSN - 0355-3140
DOI - 10.5271/sjweh.2633
Subject(s) - skin temperature , medicine , sensation , office workers , thermal sensation , cold climate , occupational exposure , surgery , psychology , dermatology , environmental health , operations management , physics , thermal comfort , neuroscience , meteorology , economics , thermodynamics
Ten men occupationally exposed to cold and ten office workers participated in the study. Reactions to immersion of the hands in cold water (+ 10 degrees C) for 2 min were studied during the following 30 min at two different ambient temperatures, 10 and 20 degrees C. Hand skin temperature was recorded in thermograms, and the subjects rated cold sensation and pain. Considerable interindividual differences in hand skin temperature reaction were found in both groups. On the average the occupationally exposed workers had a somewhat higher hand skin temperature than the office workers during the recovery period in the 10 degrees C ambient temperature, although the difference did not reach significance. The office workers rated significantly greater cold sensation as a result of the cold immersion, especially during an ambient temperature of 10 degrees C, and the frequency of pain ratings was higher for this group. The results suggest that cooling among the occupationally exposed workers at work was not severe enough to produce physiological adaptations, although some psychological adaptation was indicated.