Comparison of Changes in Physiological and Perceptual Indices of Cold Stress under Normal Clothing and Thermal Insulation Clothing among Automotive Service Workers in Isfahan

Abstract

Abstract Aim: Exposure to cold can have negative physiological and psychological effects on human health. The purpose of this study is to compare the changes in physiological and perceptual indicators of cold stress under normal clothing and thermal insulation clothing (TIC) among automotive service workers (auto mechanics) in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: Using the simple random sampling method, this cross-sectional descriptive analytical study focused on 35 automechanics in Isfahan during the winter of 2021. Physiological indicators including cold stress index, cold sensitivity, core temperature (eardrum), skin temperature, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and environmental variables were measured before and after TIC. Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 21. Results: The index for cold sensitivity showed that none of the subjects wearing insulation clothes complained about the cold environment. Furthermore, the index for equivalent chill temperature was statistically significant before and after TIC (P < 0.05). No significant relationship was established for cold strain index before and after TIC (P > 0.05). After 1 h of exposure to cold, a significant relationship occurred between the average forehead temperature and hand temperature before and after wearing clothes (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Automechanics in Isfahan is affected by cold strain. The protective effect of insulation clothing on cold strain shows that required clothing insulation index is a strong indicator for evaluating cold stress according to the environmental parameters.