title: Heat stress and carbon monoxide exposure during C-130 vehicle transportation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Running gasoline engines in a confined space causes heat stress and carbon monoxide (CO) buildup. Loading the C-130 aircraft by driving the vehicles onto the platform may expose the C-130 cabin crew to these environmental hazards. This study was aimed at investigating heat stress and CO exposure in the C-130 cabin during vehicle airlift.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were four summer flights (two two-vehicle, two three-vehicle; 2 d, 2 nights) studied. The cabin heat stress index (wet bulb globe temperature, WBGT) and CO levels before vehicle loading (control) were compared with those after vehicle loading. Furthermore, two- and three-vehicle transportations, as well as day and night transportations, were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ground temperature ranged from 18.2 to 33.4 degrees C. Mean heat stress index was higher in vehicle transportation than control flights, the greatest difference being 5.9 degrees C (p < 0.001). The WBGT levels exceeded the recommended exposure limit in 28 of 38 measurements during day flights. The cabin heat stress increased sharply with vehicle loading, and continued to increase for a range of 60-140 min after loading. Elevated cabin CO levels were found in three-vehicle flights as compared with two, and in night flights as compared with day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In hot climates, C-130 vehicle transportation may exacerbate heat stress. The in-flight heat stress can be predicted by the ambient temperature, duration of the vehicle transportation, and number of transported vehicles. The cabin CO level is related to the number of transported vehicles. We recommend the use of effective environmental control systems during C-130 vehicle transportation in hot climates.
authors.affiliation: Israeli Air Force Surgeon General's Office, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dor
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pokroy
authors.forename: Liav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Erez
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barenboim
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zilberberg
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000401:Aircraft; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020378:Confined Spaces; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002248:Carbon Monoxide