An occupational heat-health warning system for Europe: The HEAT-SHIELD platform

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Marco Morabito
  • Alessandro Messeri
  • Pascal Noti
  • Ana Casanueva
  • Alfonso Crisci
  • Sven Kotlarski
  • Simone Orlandini
  • Cornelia Schwierz
  • Christoph Spirig
  • Boris René Motrona Kingma
  • Andreas D Flouris
  • Nybo, Lars

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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2890
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume16
Issue number16
Number of pages21
ISSN1661-7827
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

    Research areas

  • Faculty of Science - Worker, Customized forecast, Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), Risk level, Heat adaptation, Work breaks, Hydration, European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Global warming

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