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Cited by 40Thermoregulation and physiological responsesSleep and Work-Related FatigueOccupational Health and Safety Management

Evaluating the effect of heat stress on cognitive performance of petrochemical workers: a field study

Open access
Rastegar, Zahra, Ghotbi Ravandi, Mohammad Reza, Zare, Sajad, Khanjani, Narges, Esmaeili, Reza·2022·Heliyon
DOI 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08698PMC PMC8741453
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Heat stress disrupts blood hormones and reduces workers' cognitive performance. To further shed light on the dysfunction of heat stress, the present study aimed to evaluate its effect on cognitive performance of petrochemical workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 in one of the Iranian petrochemical companies. Participants were divided into 2 case groups and 1 control group. They worked 12 h and their shift entialed one week working day and one week working night. According to the ISO 7243 standard, the heat stress index of employees was measured at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the shift separately. Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and N-back cognitive performance tests were performed at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the shift to determine the level of cognitive performance. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20 and the significance level was set at 0.05. RESULTS: Comparison of the results in the continuous performance test showed significant differences between the three groups with regard to the omission error and response time at the end of the shift. Moreover, according to the working memory test, participants reaction time during the shift significantly increased. Besides, average correct responses significantly reduced during the shift. Finally, the heat stress throughout the shift had a significant effect on the commission error and the response time of individuals. CONCLUSION: Heat stress affects people's cognitive performance in such a way that it can decrease their cognitive performance by increasing the commission error and response time and reducing the average correct response of site operators, generally reducing the cognitive performance of people at the end of the shift.

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  • Prolonged exposure to work-related heat stress impairs cognitive performance, with increased response times and elevated error rates during Stroop and Continuous Performance tests.

    “In the occupational context, prolonged exposure to work-related heat stress impairs cognitive performance where workers’ response times were found to be increased with an elevated rate of errors during the Stroop test and Continuous Performance test.3,8”

    From Influence of habitual physical activity on cognitive performance of healthy young adults after passive heat exposure (2026) · cites this paper as [8]

    The Results and Conclusion report increased response time and commission errors on the Continuous Performance Test among petrochemical workers exposed to heat across a shift. The Methods identify the tests used as CPT and N-back, not Stroop, so this source does not support the Stroop-test portion of the claim. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.89)

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  • Earlier studies have found that heat stress exposure results in impairment of executive function.

    “This is in contrast with the findings from earlier studies6,8 where heat stress exposure has resulted in the impairment of executive function.”

    From Influence of habitual physical activity on cognitive performance of healthy young adults after passive heat exposure (2026) · cites this paper as [8]

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Research works printed but not linked: 19

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Rastegar, Z., Ghotbi Ravandi, M. R., Zare, S., Khanjani, N., & Esmaeili, R.
Affiliations
  • Kerman University of Medical Sciences (IR)
  • Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IR)
Corresponding author
Zare, Sajad
ORCID
Venue
Heliyon
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-01
Volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
e08698
ISSN
2405-8440 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08698
PMC
PMC8741453
OpenAlex
W4200467379
Cited by
40
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2019: 1
FWCI
1.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Heliyon (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Kerman University of Medical Sciences (97000275)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Safety Management
Keywords
heat stress, cognitive performance, petrochemical workers, occupational heat exposure, heat stress indices, continuous performance test, n-back task, working memory, reaction time (psychology), commission errors, shift work, night shift work

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