The Romteck Heat Stroke Monitor aims to beat the current gold standard in heat stress monitoring, the wet bulb, by offering additional readings and a simpler interface.
weather station has been transformed into a miniature handheld package, rugged enough to be used in the field and simple enough to be operated without specialised training. The resulting heat stress/strain monitor provides both the measurements and the computed guidelines to increase safety and maximise productivity.
The miniature heat stress monitor (HSM) has potential applications in military training exercises and combat, as well as mining, foundries, agriculture, offshore oil operations, endurance sports, office environments and many other industrial settings. In fact the HSM can be used in any activity where accurate and rapid prediction of heat strain may be critical in preventing immediate distress or long-term damage to the human body.
The environmental parameters typically measured to identify heat stress are the dry bulb, wet bulb and black globe temperatures. From these three readings the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index is calculated. The WBGT is currently used as an industry standard for assessing the level of heat stress within a given environment.
In addition to these parameters the HSM also measures wind speed, which significantly affects evaporative cooling and barometric pressure. The data are combined with user inputs of clothing type and work level. The degree of acclimatisation status in a specific group under surveillance can also be factored.
All data are then combined using algorithms derived from original field and laboratory studies. The output of the model provides specific guidance on selected features such as optimal work/rest cycles, the maximum safe duration of a workshift, and hourly water requirements to replace sweat loss.
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(hat tip: The Raw Feed)
