title: Outdoor occupational environments and heat stress in IRAN.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed at demonstrating the heat stress situation (distribution and intensity) based on a standard and common heat stress index, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), during hot seasons and interpret the obtained results considering global warming and rising temperature in different parts of the country based on climate changes studied in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Heat stress assessment was done using WBGT index. Environmental parameters were measured simultaneously in the early, middle and end of shift work. The personal parameters including cloth thermal insulation and metabolic rate of 242 participants from 9 climatic categories were recorded for estimating effective WBGT (measured WBGT plus cloth adjustment factor as well as metabolic rate effect). The values of the indicator were categorized in the statistical software media and then linked to the climatic zoning of the data in the GIS information layers, in which, WBGT values relating to selected stations were given generalization to similar climatic regionalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained results showed that in the summer about 60 % and more than 75 % of the measurements relating to 12 pm and 3 pm, respectively, were in heat stress situations (i.e. the average amount of heat stress index was higher than 28 °C). These values were found to be about 20-25 % in the spring. Moreover, only in the early hours of shift work in spring could safe conditions be seen throughout the country. This situation gradually decreased in the middle of the day hours and was replaced by the warning status and stress. And finally, in the final hours of shift work thermal stresses reached their peaks. These conditions for the summer were worse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regarding several studies related to climate change in Iran and the results of present study, heat stress, especially in the central and southern parts of Iran, can be exacerbated in the decades to come if climate change and rising temperature occurs. Therefore, paying attention to this critical issue and adopting macro-management policies and programs in the field of workplace health is essential.
authors.affiliation: Department Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Department Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farideh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Golbabaei
authors.affiliation: Department Physical Geography, School of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Aliakbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamsipour
authors.affiliation: Department Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi Forushani
authors.affiliation: Department Sport Physiology, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaeini
keywords: Climate change; Heat stress; Outdoor worker