Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors
Climate change will increase the frequency and severity of hazard events such as heat waves, with important effects in several European regions. It is of importance to consider overall effects as well as specific impact on vulnerable population groups such as outdoor workers. The agricultural and co...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-03-01
|
Series: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1090 |
id |
doaj-0b36651f4b9d419fab7e53ad003bc42c |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-0b36651f4b9d419fab7e53ad003bc42c2020-11-24T20:48:02ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012019-03-01167109010.3390/ijerph16071090ijerph16071090Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural SectorsAlessandro Messeri0Marco Morabito1Michela Bonafede2Marcella Bugani3Miriam Levi4Alberto Baldasseroni5Alessandra Binazzi6Bernardo Gozzini7Simone Orlandini8Lars Nybo9Alessandro Marinaccio10Centre of Bioclimatology (CIBIC), University of Florence (UNIFI), 50144 Florence, ItalyCentre of Bioclimatology (CIBIC), University of Florence (UNIFI), 50144 Florence, ItalyOccupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, ItalyOccupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, ItalyTuscany Regional Centre for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (CeRIMP), 50135 Florence, ItalyTuscany Regional Centre for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (CeRIMP), 50135 Florence, ItalyOccupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, ItalyTuscany Region, LaMMA Consortium, Weather Forecaster and Researcher at Laboratory of Monitoring and Environmental Modelling for Sustainable Development, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, ItalyCentre of Bioclimatology (CIBIC), University of Florence (UNIFI), 50144 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Section for Integrative Physiology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, DenmarkOccupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, ItalyClimate change will increase the frequency and severity of hazard events such as heat waves, with important effects in several European regions. It is of importance to consider overall effects as well as specific impact on vulnerable population groups such as outdoor workers. The agricultural and construction sectors represent two strategic occupational fields that in relatively recent years involve an increasing number of migrant workers, and therefore require a better management of cultural aspects, that may interact with and impact on heat-related health risk. For this reason, the present study evaluated heat-stress perception and management among native and immigrant workers in Europe. As part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 HEAT-SHIELD project (grant agreement No. 668786), two agricultural and one construction companies, traditionally employing migrant workers, were evaluated with a questionnaire survey during the summer months of 2017. The data collected (104 case studies) were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Chi-squared tests) and the analysis of variance was performed with ANOVA test. From the results, migrant workers declared that work required greater effort than do native Italian workers (χ<sup>2</sup> = 17.1, <i>p</i> = 0.001) but reported less impact from heat on productivity (χ<sup>2</sup> = 10.6; <i>p</i> = 0.014) and thermal discomfort. In addition, migrant workers were mainly informed through written or oral communications, while native workers received information on heat-health issues through training courses. These findings are of importance for future information and mitigation actions to address socio-cultural gaps and reduce heat-stress vulnerability.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1090migrantheat wavesheat perceptionWet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)occupational risk |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Alessandro Messeri Marco Morabito Michela Bonafede Marcella Bugani Miriam Levi Alberto Baldasseroni Alessandra Binazzi Bernardo Gozzini Simone Orlandini Lars Nybo Alessandro Marinaccio |
spellingShingle |
Alessandro Messeri Marco Morabito Michela Bonafede Marcella Bugani Miriam Levi Alberto Baldasseroni Alessandra Binazzi Bernardo Gozzini Simone Orlandini Lars Nybo Alessandro Marinaccio Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health migrant heat waves heat perception Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) occupational risk |
author_facet |
Alessandro Messeri Marco Morabito Michela Bonafede Marcella Bugani Miriam Levi Alberto Baldasseroni Alessandra Binazzi Bernardo Gozzini Simone Orlandini Lars Nybo Alessandro Marinaccio |
author_sort |
Alessandro Messeri |
title |
Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors |
title_short |
Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors |
title_full |
Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors |
title_fullStr |
Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors |
title_full_unstemmed |
Heat Stress Perception among Native and Migrant Workers in Italian Industries—Case Studies from the Construction and Agricultural Sectors |
title_sort |
heat stress perception among native and migrant workers in italian industries—case studies from the construction and agricultural sectors |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2019-03-01 |
description |
Climate change will increase the frequency and severity of hazard events such as heat waves, with important effects in several European regions. It is of importance to consider overall effects as well as specific impact on vulnerable population groups such as outdoor workers. The agricultural and construction sectors represent two strategic occupational fields that in relatively recent years involve an increasing number of migrant workers, and therefore require a better management of cultural aspects, that may interact with and impact on heat-related health risk. For this reason, the present study evaluated heat-stress perception and management among native and immigrant workers in Europe. As part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 HEAT-SHIELD project (grant agreement No. 668786), two agricultural and one construction companies, traditionally employing migrant workers, were evaluated with a questionnaire survey during the summer months of 2017. The data collected (104 case studies) were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Chi-squared tests) and the analysis of variance was performed with ANOVA test. From the results, migrant workers declared that work required greater effort than do native Italian workers (χ<sup>2</sup> = 17.1, <i>p</i> = 0.001) but reported less impact from heat on productivity (χ<sup>2</sup> = 10.6; <i>p</i> = 0.014) and thermal discomfort. In addition, migrant workers were mainly informed through written or oral communications, while native workers received information on heat-health issues through training courses. These findings are of importance for future information and mitigation actions to address socio-cultural gaps and reduce heat-stress vulnerability. |
topic |
migrant heat waves heat perception Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) occupational risk |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1090 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT alessandromesseri heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT marcomorabito heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT michelabonafede heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT marcellabugani heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT miriamlevi heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT albertobaldasseroni heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT alessandrabinazzi heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT bernardogozzini heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT simoneorlandini heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT larsnybo heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors AT alessandromarinaccio heatstressperceptionamongnativeandmigrantworkersinitalianindustriescasestudiesfromtheconstructionandagriculturalsectors |
_version_ |
1716809113237716992 |