Thermal Indices and Thermophysiological Modeling for Heat Stress
Open accessAbstract
The assessment of the risk of human exposure to heat is a topic as relevant today as a century ago. The introduction and use of heat stress indices and models to predict and quantify heat stress and heat strain has helped to reduce morbidity and mortality in industrial, military, sports, and leisure activities dramatically. Models used range from simple instruments that attempt to mimic the human‐environment heat exchange to complex thermophysiological models that simulate both internal and external heat and mass transfer, including related processes through (protective) clothing. This article discusses the most commonly used indices and models and looks at how these are deployed in the different contexts of industrial, military, and biometeorological applications, with focus on use to predict related thermal sensations, acute risk of heat illness, and epidemiological analysis of morbidity and mortality. A critical assessment is made of tendencies to use simple indices such as WBGT in more complex conditions (e.g., while wearing protective clothing), or when employed in conjunction with inappropriate sensors. Regarding the more complex thermophysiological models, the article discusses more recent developments including model individualization approaches and advanced systems that combine simulation models with (body worn) sensors to provide real‐time risk assessment. The models discussed in the article range from historical indices to recent developments in using thermophysiological models in (bio) meteorological applications as an indicator of the combined effect of outdoor weather settings on humans. © 2016 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 6:255‐302, 2016.
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According to ISO 7243, certain types of measurement devices (e.g. a 150 mm black globe) should be used for WBGT measurement.
“According to the standard specifications (ISO 7243), certain types of measurement devices (e.g. a 150 mm black globe) should be used (Parsons 2013; Havenith and Fiala 2016).”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
The “Wet bulb globe temperature” section describes a 15 cm black globe as an original WBGT sensor and identifies ISO 7243 as the standard formalizing WBGT for industrial use. The “Use of wet bulb globe temperature without ‘correct’ instrument” section cautions against nonstandard sensors, but says sensor requirements are defined in ISO 7726; it does not explicitly attribute a 150 mm globe requirement to ISO 7243. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPractical field studies quantifying the relationship between heat stress indices and occupational illnesses/injuries are lacking.
“In spite of the availability of a large number of heat stress indices for many decades, practical field studies quantifying the relationship between heat stress indices and occupational illnesses/injuries are lacking.”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
The Introduction (page unavailable) confirms that many heat-stress indices have existed for decades. It does not say that practical field studies relating indices to occupational illness or injury are lacking; it says some indices have been linked to historical heat-illness data to establish a relationship with risk. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMost of the studies were purely descriptive and used air temperature as the only heat stress parameter.
“Most of the studies were purely descriptive and used air temperature as the only heat stress parameter (Xiang et al. 2014; Havenith and Fiala 2016).”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
The section “Heat stress indices used by epidemiologist/public health” (page unavailable) says most research in that area usually uses temperature as a single climate parameter. It does not characterize most studies as purely descriptive, so that part of the claim is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredWBGT is among the most widely used occupational heat stress indices across the world.
“WBGT is among the most widely used occupational heat stress indices across the world (Parsons 2014; Havenith and Fiala 2016) and its inclusion in international (ISO 7243) and national (ACGIH 2009) standards indicates that it has been widely accepted since it was developed in the 1950s by the US Army (Yaglou and Minard 1957).”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
UTCI is more confined to the assessment of the outdoor thermal environment in biometeorological applications.
“Although UCTI is based on an advanced and complex model, it is more confined to the assessment of the outdoor thermal environment in biometeorological applications (Havenith and Fiala 2016).”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
Criteria of air temperatures for hot weather warnings in most countries are higher than 30 °C.
“In workplaces and in the context of global warming, the criteria of air temperatures for hot weather warnings in most of the countries are higher than 30 °C (Havenith and Fiala 2016)”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
PHS describes a method based on human body heat balance equations for predicting both sweat rate and internal core temperature that the human body will develop as a result of heat stress.
“In contrast to WBGT, PHS describes a method based on human body heat balance equations for predicting both sweat rate and internal core temperature that the human body will develop as a result of heat stress.”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
The heat balance is calculated by taking into account all factors involved in the heat transfer between the body and environment, i.e. four thermal climate factors, physical work intensity (metabolic rate) and clothing thermal properties.
“The heat balance is calculated by taking into account all factors involved in the heat transfer between the body and environment, i.e. four thermal climate factors, physical work intensity (metabolic rate) and clothing thermal properties (Malchaire et al. 2000, 2001; Malchaire 2006; Havenith and Fiala 2016).”
From Occupational heat stress assessment and protective strategies in the context of climate change (2018) · cites this paper as Havenith and Fiala 2016
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References 222 · Cited by 262
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- Authors
- Havenith, G., & Fiala, D.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- ORCID
- Havenith, George
- Venue
- Comprehensive Physiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-12-15
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 255-302
- ISSN
- 2040-4603 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2249114758
- Cited by
- 262
- References
- 222
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- Type
- other
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- public-domain
- doi.wiley.com/10.1002/tdm_license_1.1 (tdm)
- Locations
- Comprehensive physiology (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Urban Heat Island Mitigation
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Keywords
- heat stress, heat stress indices, wet bulb globe temperature, heat strain, protective clothing, heat exchange, wearable sensors, individualized models, real-time risk assessment, biometeorology
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Body Temperature Regulation, Humans, Models, Biological, Severity of Illness Index, Heat Stress Disorders
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