body heat Archives

KENZEN LAUNCHES BODY HEAT SENSOR SYSTEM FOR PREDICTIVE, PREVENTATIVE WORKER SAFETY

by Heidi Lehmann | May 7, 2020 | Announcement, Smart PPE

Smart PPE patch monitors and relays real-time stress indicators to protect workers against heat injuries and death

May 7, 2020 (NEW YORK) – Kenzen, the smart PPE innovator focused on physiological monitoring and the prevention of heat injury and death among workers, has launched a real-time worker heat monitoring system. The Cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) system includes a wearable device worn by workers on their arm which alerts both the worker and their supervisor when core body temperature is too high. Real-time alerts allow for immediate intervention and worker safety from heat injuries.

The wearable, via its advanced sensor complement, monitors multiple physiological and environmental metrics, including heart rate, activity, skin and ambient temperatures. Together, these sensor data allow for the real-time prediction of core body temperature, providing alerts to workers and supervisors when temperatures approach unsafe levels.

Kenzen’s multi-level alerts are sent to workers via device vibration, iOS or Android app notification, and to supervisors via web dashboard alert signaling that the worker should take a break and allow his/her temperature to return to safe levels. Alerts are accompanied by actionable recommendations such as advising the worker to take a break, find shade, drink water, or remove any excess clothing and equipment to decrease body heat. A second “back to work” alert then indicates when the worker’s core body temperature has returned to a safe level.

Data captured by the system can be used to help companies identify heat risk and proactively manage outcomes by adapting worksites accordingly to improve worker safety while maximizing productivity. Modifications may include changes to work-rest schedules, where and when to add water and shade stations, the addition of air-conditioned rest areas and even recommendations for pre-staging ice-bath locations in case of extreme weather and working conditions. The data can also inform decisions around workplace expenditures such as certain equipment and clothing.

“The Kenzen system is all about prediction and prevention. Heat related injuries are 100% preventable but potentially deadly and difficult to detect until it’s too late,” said Heidi Lehmann, chief commercialization officer for Kenzen.

The Kenzen system has been piloted on worksites of large industrial conglomerates across the globe in domains such as construction, field services, power, oil and gas, and renewable energy. In the future, open APIs will allow integration into large connected-worker platforms. Kenzen also expects to receive Intrinsic Safety (IS) certification for use of its system, a prerequisite for use in many oil and gas, mining and other enclosed environments later this year. Once approved the system would be among the first smart PPE products to receive Zone 0 IS certification, which authorizes safe operation of electrical equipment in hazardous areas where any thermal or electrical malfunction is catastrophic.

Kenzen is sold as a subscription on a per-worker, per-month basis.

About Kenzen

Founded in 2014, Kenzen is the premier physiological monitoring platform to keep work forces safe from heat, fatigue and over exertion on the job. For more information about heat stress and how to integrate the system into your safety plan, visit Kenzen.com.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES: WHO DOES BETTER IN THE HEAT?

by Bitsy Foster | Mar 12, 2020 | Worksite Safety

Watch our first Kenzen video blog with VP of Research & Development, Nicole Moyen, as she explores the differences between how men & women handle working in the heat.

If men & women are working at the same relative work-rate, then men typically have a higher sweat rate than women (assuming men have a larger body surface area to mass ratio).

Remember: sweating is the main way that we get rid of body heat.

This higher sweat rate in men means that:

In hot-dry (low humidity) climates, men will likely be able to work for a longer period of time with a lower core temp than women, because they are better able to get rid of body heat through increased sweating.
In hot-humid climates, women will likely be to work for a longer period of time in the heat (with a lower core temp) because their lower sweat rate will keep them from losing body water (through sweating) that isn’t evaporating or cooling.
- Men, on the other hand, due to their higher sweat rate will be losing a lot of body water through sweating, but it won’t be evaporating in the high humidity. So men will become dehydrated more quickly vs. women, and see a faster increase in core temperature.

This information is important to keep in mind if you have men and women on your workforce, so that you consider the humidity and sex when determining work/rest schedules for your employees that day.

For help setting up work/rest schedules at your site and heat safety training, check out our Heat Safety Training Program.

WHAT YOU’RE CONSUMING CAN HELP YOU OR HARM YOU IN THE HEAT.

by Bitsy Foster | Mar 5, 2020 | Heat Injuries, Worksite Safety

BY JORDAN GLENN, PH.D. & NICOLE MOYEN, M.S.

There are several supplements that can help or harm you in the heat, and it might not be what you think…

We have all seen the overwhelming wall of pills, powders, and tonics claiming to help cure every disease known to man. Some of these supplements even claim to help with working in a hot environment. But do they work?

The short answer is… maybe.

By definition, a supplement is exactly that. Not a replacement or a stand alone food item, but a supplement to your day to day nutrition. And as is the same with most supplements, they are generally only useful when we are lacking in our normal nutritional health.

TWO SUPPLEMENTS THAT MIGHT HELP YOU IN THE HEAT:

Creatine:

Creatine is one of the most popular nutritional supplements in the world. While most people tend to take creatine to increase muscle size with weightlifting, there is major concern that creatine can lead to muscle cramping, primarily from dehydration.

It was once thought that because creatine causes more water to be held in the muscle cells, it would lead to dehydration.

However, research has shown us that these fears are not only unnecessary, but reversed! Scientists now believe that creatine may actually improve our tolerance to the heat. It turns out that the extra water held in the muscle cells may actually enhance our body’s ability to deal with heat stress.

Take action: For optimal results, start with 20 g/day for one week, followed by a maintenance dose of 5 g/day thereafter. Unlike Vitamin C, it is hard to get enough creatine naturally from your diet, so supplementing with creatine is the best way to increase levels.

Vitamin C:

Although research is conflicted, it has generally been shown that taking a Vitamin C supplement can lower core body temperature during the first few days of heat acclimatization, thus minimizing the risk of heat-related injuries and illnesses.

Moreover, although the amount of vitamins lost through sweating is minimal, research indicates that for individuals who have a diet lower in Vitamin C and are consistently working in the heat (and sweating a lot), can benefit from taking a daily dose of Vitamin C to help replenish stores that are lost through sweating.

Take action: For optimal results, take 250 mg/day, and not more than this amount because it can compromise the absorption of vitamin B12.

ONE THING THAT DOESN’T HELP OR HINDER YOU IN THE HEAT

Caffeine:

While caffeine tends to be a bit confusing as to its effects on overall health, research has shown that caffeine does not seem to affect performance in the heat or increase the risk of heat illness. And if you are a regular coffee or tea drinker, research shows that regular consumption of coffee or tea will not dehydrate you. So while caffeine may not help you beat the heat, it won’t hurt you either.

THINGS THAT CAN HARM YOU IN THE HEAT

Nicotine:

Consistent nicotine use (in the form of tobacco, cigarettes, etc) can impair your ability to get rid of body heat because nicotine use alters your sweating and skin blood flow mechanisms, making you more susceptible to heat-related injuries and illnesses. Even short-term nicotine use in the heat can be dangerous because nicotine is a stimulant, which leads to increased heart rate and blood pressure, meaning that your cardiovascular strain will not only be higher from the heat, but also from the nicotine. It’s best to avoid nicotine-related products altogether.

Alcohol:

While alcohol can lead to vasodilation, which in theory, would help to dissipate heat, the slight benefit does not outweigh the harm. Alcoholic drinks (>4% ABV) lead to increased urination (they act as a diuretic), which can dehydrate you. This means that if you’re drinking alcohol after a long day of working in the heat, you probably will not replenish the body water you lost that day through sweating, and so you will start the next work day dehydrated.

This of course is a problem because dehydration exacerbates the effects of heat stress on the body by reducing sweat rate and skin blood flow— the two key mechanisms to get rid of body heat— and also increases the cardiovascular strain on your body. This means that you won’t be able to work as hard or be as productive at work when dehydrated, and you are also more susceptible to heat-related injuries and illnesses.

Moral of the story: be aware of the things you’re consuming that might help you, but can also harm you in the heat.

AND REMEMBER THAT HEAT ILLNESSES ARE 100% PREVENTABLE!

For more information on emergency cooling procedures, or to have Kenzen make your worksite heat-safe, see our Heat Safety Training Program.

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REFERENCES

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-016-2237-9
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236216/
Pryor, J. L., Périard, J. D., & Pryor, R. R. (2020). Predisposing Factors for Exertional Heat Illness. In Exertional Heat Illness (pp. 29-57). Springer, Cham.

DOES POURING WATER ON YOUR HEAD ACTUALLY COOL YOU DOWN?

by Bitsy Foster | Feb 6, 2020 | Heat Injuries

We’ve probably all been there: sweating it out in the heat, wishing we were in a cool lake or pool, and so we reach for that water bottle and pour the water on our head for some relief.

But does this actually cool you off or is this relief just temporary?

The answer: it depends on your conditions.

In a hot-dry environment (low humidity):

Pouring water over your head can cool you off and lower your core body temperature, but the caveat to this is that you have to be in a place where the water you poured on your body can evaporate off of your skin and get rid of heat (remember, only sweat that evaporates off of your skin actually cools you off).
A good breeze is also important to help wick the water off of your skin to cool you down.
And as you’ve probably guessed, you’d also need to be wearing minimal clothing— like shorts & a t-shirt— as heavy clothing, like PPE, would just trap the water you poured on your body.

strong>In a hot-wet environment (high humidity):

If your sweat is already dripping off of you and it’s really humid outside then pouring water over your head might make you feel better, but won’t help you cool down.
Research has shown that pouring water over your head can make you feel cooler by reducing your skin temperatures and also reduce your perceived exertion (how hard you feel like you’re working) in the heat. However, it won’t improve your performance.

So, what’s the verdict on pouring water over your head?

Unless you’re wearing light clothing and working in a hot-dry environment where the water can evaporate off of your skin, it won’t help to cool you off. That being said, if it makes you feel better to pour cold water over your head and helps you get through the work day, it won’t hurt you, so go for it- just remember to keep an eye on the signs & symptoms of heat illness.

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REFERENCES:
Munoz, C. X., et al. “Effects of oral rehydration and external cooling on physiology, perception, and performance in hot, dry climates.” Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 22.6 (2012): e115-e124.
Morris, Nathan B., and Ollie Jay. “To drink or to pour: How should athletes use water to cool themselves?.” (2016): 191-194.