Factors associated with cold exposure related symptoms among cold storage workers
Keywords:
Cold Exposure Related Symptoms, Cold Storage Workers, Duration Of Cold ExposureAbstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between personal factors, duration of cold exposure
and workwear with cold exposure related symptoms among cold storage workers. The study data including environment
data, e.g. air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity and interviewed and observed data, e.g. personal and work
history, work characteristics, cold exposure related symptoms, and workwear. The participants were 163 volunteer workers
from 10 factories in the Central region of Thailand. The results showed that an average air temperature was -18.4°C in cold
storage warehouse area and, -7.6°C in the loading area, the average wind speed was 0.8 m/s and 1.0 m/s, the average relative
humidity was 29.6% and 45.8%, respectively. The characteristics of the participants associated with respiratory symptoms
were statistically significant, i.e. age (p-value = 0.039) and duration of work (p-value = 0.015). The participants with the aged
of over 38 years whose the duration of work exceeded 1 years have higher prevalence rate of respiratory symptoms. The
duration of cold exposure was significantly associated with respiratory symptoms (p-value = 0.040) and finger pain (p-value =
0.003). The participants who work in cold environment longer than 4 hours a day have higher prevalence rate of having
respiratory symptoms and finger pain than who work in cold environment lower than 4 hours a day. While sex, smoking,
alcohol consumption, and workwear were not significantly associated with cold exposure related symptoms (p-value > 0.05).
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