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Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and Recorded Occupational Injury Rates among Sugarcane Harvesters in Southwest Guatemala

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  • Miranda Dally

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Jaime Butler-Dawson

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Cecilia J. Sorensen

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
    Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Mike Van Dyke

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Katherine A. James

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Lyndsay Krisher

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Diana Jaramillo

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Lee S. Newman

    (Center for Health, Work & Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Colorado Consortium for Climate Change & Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
    Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E. 17th Pl., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

Abstract

As global temperatures continue to rise it is imperative to understand the adverse effects this will pose to workers laboring outdoors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between increases in wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and risk of occupational injury or dehydration among agricultural workers. We used data collected by an agribusiness in Southwest Guatemala over the course of four harvest seasons and Poisson generalized linear modelling for this analysis. Our analyses suggest a 3% increase in recorded injury risk with each degree increase in daily average WBGT above 30 °C (95% CI: −6%, 14%). Additionally, these data suggest that the relationship between WBGT and injury risk is non-linear with an additional 4% acceleration in risk for every degree increase in WBGT above 30 °C (95% CI: 0%, 8%). No relationship was found between daily average WBGT and risk of dehydration. Our results indicate that agricultural workers are at an increased risk of occupational injury in humid and hot environments and that businesses need to plan and adapt to increasing global temperatures by implementing and evaluating effective occupational safety and health programs to protect the health, safety, and well-being of their workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Miranda Dally & Jaime Butler-Dawson & Cecilia J. Sorensen & Mike Van Dyke & Katherine A. James & Lyndsay Krisher & Diana Jaramillo & Lee S. Newman, 2020. "Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and Recorded Occupational Injury Rates among Sugarcane Harvesters in Southwest Guatemala," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8195-:d:440805
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Miranda Dally & Jaime Butler-Dawson & Lyndsay Krisher & Andrew Monaghan & David Weitzenkamp & Cecilia Sorensen & Richard J Johnson & Elizabeth J Carlton & Claudia Asensio & Liliana Tenney & Lee S Newm, 2018. "The impact of heat and impaired kidney function on productivity of Guatemalan sugarcane workers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Roelofs, C. & Wegman, D., 2014. "Workers: The climate canaries," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(10), pages 1799-1801.
    3. Vuong, Quang H, 1989. "Likelihood Ratio Tests for Model Selection and Non-nested Hypotheses," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(2), pages 307-333, March.
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    1. Mohamad Rajab Houmsi & Zulhilmi bin Ismail & Ghaith Falah Ziarh & Mohammed Magdy Hamed & Daeng Siti binti Maimunah Ishak & Mohd Khairul Idlan Muhammad & Muhamad Zulhasif bin Mokhtar & Zulfaqar Sa’adi , 2023. "Relative Influence of Meteorological Variables of Human Thermal Stress in Peninsular Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Diana Jaramillo & Lyndsay Krisher & Natalie V. Schwatka & Liliana Tenney & Gwenith G. Fisher & Rebecca L. Clancy & Erin Shore & Claudia Asensio & Stephane Tetreau & Magda E. Castrillo & Ines Amenabar , 2021. "International Total Worker Health: Applicability to Agribusiness in Latin America," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Matt Comi & Florence Becot & Casper Bendixsen, 2023. "Automation, Climate Change, and the Future of Farm Work: Cross-Disciplinary Lessons for Studying Dynamic Changes in Agricultural Health and Safety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-15, March.

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