Hot & Bothered. Dangerous thinking in hot weather. How body heat effects decision making and safety. A summary of medical, military and science research into the short-term and long-term effects of working in hot environments. A quick sample of data showing what is happening to the brain even when no heat-related illnesses are occurring. High-level observations about decision making and safety risks to healthy workers exposed to hot conditions during work.

1. Dangerous thinking in hot weather
How body heat effects
decision making
and safety.

2. Presentation by: Pauline Sanders | Director
Red Dirt International Pty Ltd
Perth WA 6000 Australia
+61 8 6102-7719 Office
SKYPE reddirtworkwear
pauline@reddirtworkwear.com.au
www.reddirtworkwear.com.au

3. Compound safety issues
Repeated heat exposure may
 Weaken internal organs
 Impact neurological system
 Impair reaction time
 Increase chances of accidents

4. During heat exposure
Autonomic nervous reaction
causes
 Heart rate increases
 Blood vessels dilate

5. Hot, hot and hotter
Aggravating environmental factors
 Exhaust, dust and chemicals
 Noise and vibration
 Heat radiated from machinery
 Protective equipment

6. Heat strain and the brain
Working for extended periods of time
in hot conditions may
 Impair short term verbal
and numeric memory
 Increase decision making time
 Result in poor decisions
 Slow reaction time
 Reduce awareness

7. Think it’s hot?
NASA
(National Aeronautics
and Space Administration)
... when air temperature is over 95
degrees, an individual can make
60 mistakes an hour ...

8. Some (don’t) like it hot...
The Effects
of Thermal Strain
on Cognition
By the Combatant Protection and Nutrition Branch
Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory
and Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of
Technology, Victoria
(Australia, Oct 2000)

9. Hot brain drain
Body core
temperature
during test

10. Hot brain drain
Where activity
was measured

11. Hot brain drain
Intensity of brain
activity during 10
minute task test

12. Hot brain drain
How rest period
effects brain

13. Intermittent dehydration
Compound stress from sweating &
changes in hydration effects
 Kidneys
 Liver
 Heart
 Digestive system
 Nervous system

14. Sleep problems
Heat exposure may disrupt healthy
sleep cycles due to
 Repeated changes
in electrolyte balance
 Recurring nervous system fatigue

15. Hot and bothered
Staff working in hot conditions may
‘do stupid things’ and ‘have a bad
attitude’ because
 Short term slowing of brain
 Strain on mental processes
 Recurring insufficient sleep

16. Cooling comfort
Reduce safety risks in hot climates
by improving thermal comfort
 Cooling neck, head and hands
 Cooling while working
 Recurring retreats to cooler
locations throughout shifts

17. Copyright
You are free to reuse or present any
content contained in this document. By
using this document, you agree to keep
the Red Dirt and Pauline Sanders byline
unaltered. If you edit the content in this
document, add your name as the editor.
This work by Red Dirt Workwear and
Pauline Sanders is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
3.0 Unported License.

18. Source Materials
Would you like the details?
Please contact Red Dirt Workwear
for links to sources including
medical, military and science
research.
- Pauline Sanders, Director

19. Presentation by: Pauline Sanders | Director
Red Dirt International Pty Ltd
Perth WA 6000 Australia
+61 8 6102-7719 Office
SKYPE reddirtworkwear
pauline@reddirtworkwear.com.au
www.reddirtworkwear.com.au