The risk of heat exhaustion at a deep underground metalliferous mine in relation to surface temperatures

Abstract

The risk of heat exhaustion at a deep underground metalliferous mine was assessed in relation to thermal conditions prevailing on the surface. For each day of a 1-year prospective case series of heat exhaustion, surface 24-h mean wet and dry bulb temperatures were recorded. From this data, 24-h mean wet bulb globe temperatures were derived using certain assumptions. The three surface temperature variables were significantly higher on those days on which heat exhaustion occurred, compared to those days on which it did not occur (P < 0.001). The relative risk of heat exhaustion on days when the 24-h mean wet bulb globe temperature was in the range 26.0-28.0°C was 4.82 (95% confidence interval 2.12-10.96). Surface temperature data could be used at this mine to warn miners about the risk of heat exhaustion.