An evaluation of heat stress indices (ISO 7243, ISO/DIS 7933) in the prediction of heat strain in unacclimated men.

The ISO 7243 heat stress standard based on the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) heat stress index and the analytical standard proposal ISO/DIS 7933 were evaluated in eight physically trained and eight untrained, unacclimated men during prolonged light exercise carried out while wearing industrial work clothing. The exercise tests were done in a thermoneutral (20 degrees C/40%), a warm humid (30 degrees C/80% humidity), and a hot dry (40 degrees C/20% humidity) environment. Both of the standards were effective in predicting the excessive thermal strain observed in the dry and humid heat (WBGT, 28 degrees C). In dry heat, neither of the standards took into account the higher sweating capacities of the physically trained men. The large inter-individual variability in the physiological responses to heat stress questioned the calculations of definite allowable exposure times (ISO/DIS 7933).