RISK PROFILE OCCUPATIONAL FATIGUE AND HEAT STRAIN SYMPTOMS AMONG OUTDOOR WORKERS IN SEMARANG CITY, INDONESIA

• Main Author: Auliyah Muslimin, Dhiyaul
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik saniter dan perkotaan; teknik perlindungan lingkungan
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/86617
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Indonesia a tropical country, is experiencing increasing temperatures due to climate change. Outdoor workers who are exposed to hot temperatures for long periods of time and without protection are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses such as fatigue and heat strain symptoms. Semarang city as one of the tropical regions located in the coastal area has a high ambient temperature causing vulnerability to workers due to unprotected working conditions. This study explored the risk profile of occupational fatigue and heat strain symptoms among 120 outdoor workers in Semarang, including street vendors, pedicab drivers, construction workers, and parking attendants. The method used in this study was to measure work climate using Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), while heat strain was evaluated with Physiological Strain Index (PSI) based on body temperature and heart rate before and after work, then blood pressure will be measured whether there is a significant difference in values. Work fatigue was assessed through reaction time test and IRFC's Subjective Self Rating Test (SSRT) questionnaire, and the High Occupational Temperature Health and Productivity Suppression (HOTHAPS) questionnaire was used to analyze workers' perception and preventive behavior. Statistical analysis was performed using R-Studio software. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the mean ± standard deviation for each variable. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of the data (a p value <0.05 indicates an abnormal distribution). Kruskal-Wallis and post-hoc tests were performed on non-normally distributed data to identify significant differences across job types. The relationship between individual characteristics and job fatigue and heat strain symptoms was analyzed using quantile regression. Meanwhile, the relationship between hot work climate on job fatigue and heat strain symptoms was analyzed using multiple linear regression, and preventive behavior as a mediator in the relationship between work climate and heat strain symptoms was analyzed using mediation analysis. This study found that age has a significant effect on increased psychomotor performance (??= 0.005 and LB?= 0.004, LB?= 0.006) and increased mental fatigue (??= 0.115 and LB?= -0.124, LB?= 0. 057), for heat strain symptoms, it is influenced by age (??= 0.029 and LB?= 0.010, LB?= 0.052) and BMI (??= 0.208 and LB?= 0.009, LB?= 0.770), while other individual characteristics do not have a significant effect on fatigue and heat strain symptoms. Work climate had a significant effect on psychomotor performance (?= 0.191 and p= 0.000). For mental fatigue, poor work climate also had a significant effect (?= 5.097 and p= 0.000). Work climate had a significant effect on heat strain symptoms (?= 1.345 and p= 0.000). Moderation analysis showed that age (p = 0.002) and tenure (p = 0.002) influenced the relationship between heat climate and psychomotor performance. However, in mental fatigue and heat strain symptoms, only tenure (p = 0.05) was almost significant, while other factors did not moderate the relationship. The relationship between work climate and heat strain symptoms through the mediator of preventive behavior showed that preventive behavior did not have a significant effect (? = 0.011 and p = 0.650) as a mediator that could affect the reduction of heat strain symptoms, other factors not analyzed in this study may be more relevant. The conclusion of this study shows that the individual characteristics of age and body mass index (BMI) significantly affect psychomotor performance and heat stress. Hot work climate increases psychomotor performance, mental fatigue, and heat strain symptoms, with limited effectiveness of preventive behaviors in mitigation..