scholarly journals An Occupational Heat–Health Warning System for Europe: The HEAT-SHIELD Platform

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (16) ◽  
pp. 2890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Morabito ◽  
Alessandro Messeri ◽  
Pascal Noti ◽  
Ana Casanueva ◽  
Alfonso Crisci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Heat Shield ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Heat Acclimatization ◽  
Maximum Probability ◽  
Maximum Heat ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
The Impact

Existing heat–health warning systems focus on warning vulnerable groups in order to reduce mortality. However, human health and performance are affected at much lower environmental heat strain levels than those directly associated with higher mortality. Moreover, workers are at elevated health risks when exposed to prolonged heat. This study describes the multilingual “HEAT-SHIELD occupational warning system” platform (https://heatshield.zonalab.it/) operating for Europe and developed within the framework of the HEAT-SHIELD project. This system is based on probabilistic medium-range forecasts calibrated on approximately 1800 meteorological stations in Europe and provides the ensemble forecast of the daily maximum heat stress. The platform provides a non-customized output represented by a map showing the weekly maximum probability of exceeding a specific heat stress condition, for each of the four upcoming weeks. Customized output allows the forecast of the personalized local heat-stress-risk based on workers’ physical, clothing and behavioral characteristics and the work environment (outdoors in the sun or shade), also taking into account heat acclimatization. Personal daily heat stress risk levels and behavioral suggestions (hydration and work breaks recommended) to be taken into consideration in the short term (5 days) are provided together with long-term heat risk forecasts (up to 46 days), all which are useful for planning work activities. The HEAT-SHIELD platform provides adaptation strategies for “managing” the impact of global warming.

scholarly journals Steps Towards Comprehensive Heat Communication in the Frame of a Heat Health Warning System in Slovenia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5829
Author(s):  
Tjaša Pogačar ◽  
Zala Žnidaršič ◽  
Lučka Kajfež Bogataj ◽  
Zalika Črepinšek
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Health Measures

Occupational heat stress has an important negative impact on the well-being, health and productivity of workers and should; therefore, be recognized as a public health issue in Europe. There is no comprehensive heat health warning system in Slovenia combining public health measures with meteorological forecasts. The aim of this research was to provide insight into the development of such a system in Slovenia, turning the communication from the current meteoalarm into a broader system that has more information for different social groups. To achieve this goal, the following steps were used: Analysis of summer temperatures and issued meteoalarms, a survey of the general knowledge about heat among the public, organization and management of two stakeholder symposia, and a final survey on workers’ opinions on heat stress and measures, supplemented by interviews with employers. Summer average daily temperature distributions in Slovenia changed during the investigated period (1961–2019) and the mean values increased over time by 2–3 °C. Additionally, the number of days with fulfilled yellow (potentially dangerous) and especially orange (dangerous) meteoalarm conditions increased significantly after 1990. The survey of the general public about heat stress and warnings showed that efforts to raise awareness of heat issues need to be intensified and that public health measures should effectively target vulnerable groups. Stakeholder symposia and further surveys have shown that awareness and understanding of the negative effects of heat stress on health and productivity are still quite low, so effective ways of disseminating information to different sectors while striking the best balance between efficiency, feasibility and economic cost have to be found.

scholarly journals Performances of Limited Area Models for the WORKLIMATE Heat–Health Warning System to Protect Worker’s Health and Productivity in Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9940
Author(s):  
Daniele Grifoni ◽  
Alessandro Messeri ◽  
Alfonso Crisci ◽  
Michela Bonafede ◽  
Francesco Pasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Limited Area ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Stress Indicators ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Globe Temperature ◽  
Meteorological Models

Outdoor workers are particularly exposed to climate conditions, and in particular, the increase of environmental temperature directly affects their health and productivity. For these reasons, in recent years, heat-health warning systems have been developed for workers generally using heat stress indicators obtained by the combination of meteorological parameters to describe the thermal stress induced by the outdoor environment on the human body. There are several studies on the verification of the parameters predicted by meteorological models, but very few relating to the validation of heat stress indicators. This study aims to verify the performance of two limited area models, with different spatial resolution, potentially applicable in the occupational heat health warning system developed within the WORKLIMATE project for the Italian territory. A comparison between the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature predicted by the models and that obtained by data from 28 weather stations was carried out over about three summer seasons in different daily time slots, using the most common skill of performance. The two meteorological models were overall comparable for much of the Italian explored territory, while major limits have emerged in areas with complex topography. This study demonstrated the applicability of limited area models in occupational heat health warning systems.

scholarly journals Overview of Existing Heat-Health Warning Systems in Europe

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (15) ◽  
pp. 2657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Casanueva ◽  
Annkatrin Burgstall ◽  
Sven Kotlarski ◽  
Alessandro Messeri ◽  
Marco Morabito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Web Search ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Action Plans ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
The Impact

The frequency of extreme heat events, such as the summer of 2003 in Europe, and their corresponding consequences for human beings are expected to increase under a warmer climate. The joint collaboration of institutional agencies and multidisciplinary approaches is essential for a successful development of heat-health warning systems and action plans which can reduce the impacts of extreme heat on the population. The present work constitutes a state-of-the-art review of 16 European heat-health warning systems and heat-health action plans, based on the existing literature, web search (over the National Meteorological Services websites) and questionnaires. The aim of this study is to pave the way for future heat-health warning systems, such as the one currently under development in the framework of the Horizon 2020 HEAT-SHIELD project. Some aspects are highlighted among the variety of examined European warning systems. The meteorological variables that trigger the warnings should present a clear link with the impact under consideration and should be chosen depending on the purpose and target of the warnings. Setting long-term planning actions as well as pre-alert levels might prevent and reduce damages due to heat. Finally, education and communication are key elements of the success of a warning system.

scholarly journals Verification of Heat Stress Thresholds for a Health-Based Heat-Wave Definition

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1177-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Di Napoli ◽  
Florian Pappenberger ◽  
Hannah L. Cloke
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Warning System ◽  
High Heat ◽  
Probability Of Detection ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Maximum Heat

AbstractHeat waves represent a threat to human health and excess mortality is one of the associated negative effects. A health-based definition for heat waves is therefore relevant, especially for early warning purposes, and it is here investigated via the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). The UTCI is a bioclimate index elaborated via an advanced model of human thermoregulation that estimates the thermal stress induced by air temperature, wind speed, moisture, and radiation on the human physiology. Using France as a test bed, the UTCI was computed from meteorological reanalysis data to assess the thermal stress conditions associated with heat-attributable excess mortality in five cities. UTCI values at different climatological percentiles were defined and evaluated in their ability to identify periods of excess mortality (PEMs) over 24 years. Using verification metrics such as the probability of detection (POD), the false alarm ratio (FAR), and the frequency bias (FB), daily minimum and maximum heat stress levels equal to or above corresponding UTCI 95th percentiles (15° ± 2°C and 34.5° ± 1.5°C, respectively) for 3 consecutive days are demonstrated to correlate to PEMs with the highest sensitivity and specificity (0.69 ≤ POD ≤ 1, 0.19 ≤ FAR ≤ 0.46, 1 ≤ FB ≤ 1.48) than minimum, maximum, and mean heat stress level singularly and other bioclimatological percentiles. This finding confirms the detrimental effect of prolonged, unusually high heat stress at day- and nighttime and suggests the UTCI 95th percentile as a health-meaningful threshold for a potential heat-health watch warning system.

scholarly journals Borderless Heat Stress

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Brimicombe ◽  
Claudia Di Napoli ◽  
Rosalind Cornforth ◽  
Florian Pappenberger ◽  
Celia Petty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Thermal Stress ◽  
News Media ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
Radiant Temperature ◽  
The Impact

<p>Heatwaves have been increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity. They have been the deadliest hydro-meteorology hazard globally for the last 5 years according to the world meteorological organisation. In addition, they are not constrained by geography in the same sense as many other hazards and as such they are borderless. They however receive less attention, research, and funding internationally than other hazards such as floods and storms, effecting how we perceive their risk and their reporting. Here we consider the impact of heatwaves by making use of the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) for indicating heat stress. The UTCI is a biometeorological index that computes thermal stress using the parameters of 2m temperature, wind speed, mean radiant temperature and relative humidity and a body model, making it a human-centric approach to assessing thermal stress and is skilful for both indicating and forecasting heat hazards. Further a comparison to how heat impacts are reported in EM-DAT (an international disasters database) and international meteorological organisation reports, supplemented by English news media reports is made to assess whether heat impacts are sufficiently reported. In addition, we refer to specific case studies of the United Kingdom, Ghana, and Uganda to further explore impacts, risk perception and policy at a country level, because although heat is borderless impacts occur on a local scale. All this together, will provide the evidence for the development a potentially global early warning system and the implementation of climate change adaptation on a local level to build adaptive capacity and resilience to the growing risk of heat stress internationally. </p>

scholarly journals Heat wave–related mortality in Sweden: A case-crossover study investigating effect modification by neighbourhood deprivation

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Oudin Åström ◽  
Christofer Åström ◽  
Bertil Forsberg ◽  
Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera ◽  
Antonio Gasparrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Wave ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Neighbourhood Deprivation ◽  
Deprived Neighbourhoods ◽  
Case Crossover ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
The Impact

Aims: The present study aimed to investigate if set thresholds in the Swedish heat-wave warning system are valid for all parts of Sweden and if the heat-wave warning system captures a potential increase in all-cause mortality and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality. An additional aim was to investigate whether neighbourhood deprivation modifies the relationship between heat waves and mortality. Methods: From 1990 until 2014, in 14 municipalities in Sweden, we collected data on daily maximum temperatures and mortality for the five warmest months. Heat waves were defined according to the categories used in the current Swedish heat-wave warning system. Using a case-crossover approach, we investigated the association between heat waves and mortality in Sweden, as well as a modifying effect of neighbourhood deprivation. Results: On a national as well as a regional level, heat waves significantly increased both all-cause mortality and CHD mortality by approximately 10% and 15%, respectively. While neighbourhood deprivation did not seem to modify heat wave–related all-cause mortality, CHD mortality did seem to modify the risk. Conclusions: It may not be appropriate to assume that heat waves in Sweden will have the same impact in a northern setting as in a southern, or that the impact of heat waves will be the same in affluent and deprived neighbourhoods. When designing and implementing heat-wave warning systems, neighbourhood, regional and national information should be incorporated.

The impact of heat waves on the elderly living in Australia: how should a heat health warning system be developed to protect them?

2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renate van Iersel ◽  
Peng Bi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Important Public Health Problem ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
The Impact

Heat waves with extreme temperatures are increasingly being recognised as an important public health problem, together with a need to develop appropriate public health interventions. Although heat waves cannot be prevented, their harmful health consequences can be reduced by the development and implementation of early warning systems that target vulnerable regions and populations. This is particularly important for Australian society, given its ageing population structure and vulnerable characteristics of ageing people. It is crucial that a heat health warning system (HHWS) for an ageing population be based on accurate information about the location of vulnerable people, their access to communication technology, the facilities available to them and their ability to respond effectively to a HHWS. This accurate information is critical for the development and implementation of such a system. More importantly, the right stakeholders should be identified, and public’s perception and knowledge about heat waves should be evaluated.

Does Belgrade (Serbia) need heat health warning system?

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 494-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gorica B. Stanojević ◽  
Aleksandra B. Spalević ◽  
Vlasta M. Kokotović ◽  
Jelena N. Stojilković
Keyword(s):  
Heat Wave ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Apparent Temperature ◽  
Daily Minimum Temperature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Respiratory Mortality ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether is Belgrade (Serbia) suitable candidate for introduction of Heat Health Warning System (HHWS). Belgrade has high population density, considerable share of built up area and lot of multi floor buildings that are factors of heat-health vulnerability. Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyzed the impact of weather conditions on human health in Belgrade during the summer 2007 that was extremely warm in Southeastern Europe and Serbia. Daily cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory mortality counts were used in Poisson regression model with air temperature as predictor variable. Also, three different heat wave indices (Warm Spell Duration Index, apparent temperature and index based on daily minimum temperature) were tested in order to estimate their ability to capture episodes with mortality higher than expected. Findings – The temperature has the highest influence on cerebrovascular and cardiovascular mortality, while slightly modifies respiratory mortality. According to regression equation, a 1°C increase in mean daily temperature is associated with a 4.6 percent (p<0.0001), 2.2 percent (p<0.0001) and 1.6 percent (insignificant for p<0.10) increase in cerebrovascular, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, respectively. Originality/value – Even thought the Law recognizes the heat wave as natural hazard, there is no concrete measures and action for prevention of excess mortality. It is shown that extreme temperature had numerous social consequences on city's residents in the summer 2007. Given the results the authors got, it is recommended that the HHWS should be implemented in health protection plans in Belgrade.

scholarly journals Analysis on Effectiveness of Impact Based Heatwave Warning Considering Severity and Likelihood of Health Impacts in Seoul, Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2380
Author(s):  
Yeora Chae ◽  
Jongchul Park
Keyword(s):  
Additive Model ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Threshold Temperature ◽  
Threshold Temperatures ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Level 2

Many countries are operating a heatwave warning system (HWWS) to mitigate the impact of heatwaves on human health. The level of heatwave warning is normally determined by using the threshold temperature of heat-related morbidity or mortality. However, morbidity and mortality threshold temperatures have not been used together to account for the severity of health impacts. In this study, we developed a heatwave warning system with two different warning levels: Level-1 and Level-2, by analyzing the severity and likelihood of heat-related morbidity and mortality using the generalized additive model. The study particularly focuses on the cases in Seoul, South Korea, between 2011 and 2018. The study found that the threshold temperature for heat-related morbidity and mortality are 30 °C and 33 °C, respectively. Approximately 73.1% of heat-related patients visited hospitals when temperature was between 30 °C and 33 °C. We validated the developed HWWS by using both the threshold temperatures of morbidity and mortality. The area under curves (AUCs) of the proposed model were 0.74 and 0.86 at Level-1 and Level-2, respectively. On the other hand, the AUCs of the model using only the mortality threshold were 0.60 and 0.86 at Level-1 and Level-2, respectively. The AUCs of the model using only the morbidity threshold were 0.73 and 0.78 at Level-1 and Level-2, respectively. The results suggest that the updated HWWS can help to reduce the impact of heatwaves, particularly on vulnerable groups, by providing the customized information. This also indicates that the HWWS could effectively mitigate the risk of morbidity and mortality.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document