Travail à la chaleur

Abstract

After reviewing the basic principles of work in heat, the European regulation and the standards on which it is based, the article approaches the aspects of evaluation of the basic parameters individually and described the indices which make it possible to predict the conditions of comfort and thermal stress. The systematic and a priori quantification of the working conditions is however not recommended and a general strategy for the management of the thermal work environment is proposed, organizing the cooperation between the employees, the technical staff and the occupational health advisers for an effective prevention. The four levels of intervention of this strategy are described, as well as the main prevention methods. The article ends by describing the health risks and the means of preventing them by selection, training, acclimatization and monitoring of the exposed workers.