Workers’ Perception Heat Stress: Results from a Pilot Study Conducted in Italy during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020

Michela Bonafede, Miriam Levi, Emma Pietrafesa, Alessandra Binazzi, Alessandro Marinaccio, Marco Morabito, Iole Pinto, Francesca de’ Donato, Valentina Grasso, Tiziano Costantini and Alessandro Messeri
Additional contact information
Michela Bonafede: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, Italy
Miriam Levi: Epidemiology Unit, Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority Tuscany Centre, 50135 Florence, Italy
Emma Pietrafesa: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, Italy
Alessandra Binazzi: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, Italy
Alessandro Marinaccio: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00143 Rome, Italy
Marco Morabito: Institute of Bioeconomy, National Research Council (IBE-CNR), 50019 Florence, Italy
Iole Pinto: Physical Agents Sector, Regional Public Health Laboratory, 53100 Siena, Italy
Francesca de’ Donato: Department of Epidemiology Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL ROMA 1, 00147 Rome, Italy
Valentina Grasso: LaMMA Consortium—Weather Forecaster and Researcher at Laboratory of Monitoring and Environmental Modelling for Sustainable Development, 50019 Florence, Italy
Tiziano Costantini: Department of Epidemiology Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL ROMA 1, 00147 Rome, Italy
Alessandro Messeri: LaMMA Consortium—Weather Forecaster and Researcher at Laboratory of Monitoring and Environmental Modelling for Sustainable Development, 50019 Florence, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: Many workers are exposed to the effects of heat and often to extreme temperatures. Heat stress has been further aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic by the use of personal protective equipment to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, workers’ risk perception of heat stress is often low, with negative effects on their health and productivity. The study aims to identify workers’ needs and gaps in knowledge, suggesting the adaptation of measures that best comply with the needs of both workers and employers. A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted in Italy in the hottest months of 2020 (June–October) through different multimedia channels. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics; analytical tests and analysis of variance were used to evaluate differences between groups of workers. In total, 345 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The whole sample of respondents declared that heat is an important contributor to productivity loss and 83% of workers did not receive heat warnings from their employer. In this context, the internet is considered as the main source of information about heat-related illness in the workplace. Results highlight the need to increase workers’ perception of heat stress in the workplace to safeguard their health and productivity. About two-thirds of the sample stated that working in the sun without access to shaded areas, working indoors without adequate ventilation, and nearby fire, steam, and hot surfaces, represent the main injuries’ risk factors.

Keywords: risk perception; risk knowledge; heat stress prevention measures; heat exposure; occupational injuries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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