A research on the evaluation of operators working places and the effects of the climatic conditions on the operators in Çukurova Region

SUMMARY in Çukurova and similar regions the air temperature rises up to 32 °C to 42 °C and the relative humidity up to 94 %. Operators working under such conditions are afFected of climatic conditions unfavourably. The purpose of this research is to study the eflFect of climatic conditions on operators1 physiology in summer. For this purpose the climatic variables in different cabs and physiological characteristics of the operatöre were measured and the heat load formed in local product cabs was determined. The research was carried out in TÎGEM Çukurova Agricultural Enterprises in the summer of 1994-95. Outside and inside climatic conditions, air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and physiological characteristics of the operators such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heartbeat values, skin temperature, core temperature values were measured before and during work in 7 different cabs in Jufy and August at day hours 10°°, 12°°, 14°°, 16°°. Time dependent charts of outside and inside air temperature, relative humidity and air velocity values of 7 different cabs were drawn and the cabs providing climatic comfort and regression values of climatic variables inside cabs compared to outside variables were determined. The changes of the values of physiological characteristics of the operators working in 7 difîerent cabs according to the values before work shovvn in charts and the level of importance betvveen the difference of the values before and during the work according to different cabs was controlled with DUNCAN test and the relationship between the Physiological characteristic of the operators and the chmatic conditions was determined. The air conditioning load to provide 24 °C and 28 °C which are between 22 °C and 29 °C accepted to provide chmatic comfort for human beings was determined for cabs without air conditioning studied during the research. it was 1.67-2.17 °C less in cab no l, 3.67-5.17 °C more in cab no 2, 3.50-4.00 °C more in cab no 3, 2.83-3.83 °C more in cab no 4,1.50-4.00 °C more in cab no 5 and it was 5.67-8.17 °C less in cab no 6, 6.67-7.50 °C less in cab no 7 while outside air temperature was 32.00-36.83°C between hours lO00-^00 in Juh/. it was 0.83-2.50 °C121 less in cab no l, 3.67-6.00 °C more in cab no 2, 2.67-4.33 °C more in cab no 3, 2.33- 3.50 °C more in cab no 4,4.50-5.67 °C less in cab no 5, 9.17-10.50 °C less in cab no 6, 10.00-13.00 °C less in cab no 7 whüe outside air temperature was 31.00-37.83 °C in August. ît was 53.67-67.67 %, 48.00-61.33 %, 47.33-60.67 %, 55.67-63.33 %, 40.00- 46.00 %, 50.00-52.00 %, 49.67-53.33 % in cabs no l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 while outside relative humidity was 47.67-68.67 % between hours 10°°-1600 in July. in August the values changed between 52.00-68.33 %, 52.00-62.00 %, 41.00-63.33 %, 48.33- 66.00 %, 40.00-53.00 %, 50.00-61.00 %, 50.00-58.67 % in cabs no l, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7. in July outside air velocity values were 0.48-2.33 m/s and in August were 0.40- 5.40 m/s. in cab no l the air velocity was 0.42-0.87 m/s more compared with outside. This was because of the covered roof and öpen sides and the movement of the tractor. Having no air conditioning and being completeh/ covered there was no air movement in cabin no 2. The air velocity in cabs no 3, 4 that had fans were 0.7 m/s and 0.9 m/s. in cabs 5,6, 7 that had air conditioning the air velocities were 0.6, 0.8,1.3 m/s. The feeling air temperatures calculated according to the air temperature and relative humidity inside cabs measured in order as 38-42 °C, 50-54 °C, 49-52 °C, 46-52 °C, 28-34 °C, 27-34 °C, 25-29 °C. The relationship of inside air temperature and relative humidity according to the outside values were determined by a regression anah/sis. Accordingh/ it was determined that the level of relationship was low in air conditioned cabs (cabs no 5, 6, 7) while the outside conditions were affecting the conditions inside cabs with P<0.001. The cabs no 5, 6, 7 that were air conditioned were accepted to be comfortable according to air temperature and relative humidity values. The average values of systolic pressure (mmHg) of the operatöre during work compared to before work values according to the order decreased by 1.75, 9.45, 4.12, 8.42, 0.33, 5.54. Diastolic values (mmHg) decreased by 4.95, 4.66, 1.20, 6.75, 4.54, 6.66, 2.37. Heartbeat (beat/min) in cabs no l, 2, 3, 4 were 0.87, 23.20, 24.20, 21.75 more, and in cabs no 5, 6, 7 the values were 2.29, 4.75, 1.37 less. The skin temperature122 (°C) in cabs no l, 2, 3, 4, 5 were 0.06, 1.35, 1.23, 0.87, 0.02 more and in cabs no 6, 7 decreased by 0.27 and 0.18. The core temperature (°C) in cab no l and 6 decreased by 0.03 and 0.04 and in cabs no 2, 3,4, 5, 7 increased by 1.07, 0.86, 0.64, 0.06, 0.01. in the importance test of differences between the cabs for the operators' physiological characteristics, the cabs no l, 3, 6 were of the same group as for the systolic values and the other cabs constituted different groups each. Diastolic pressure values showed no differences. Heartbeats were similar in cabs no 2, 3, 4 and l, 5, 6, 7. The skin temperatures were similar in cabs no l, 5 and cabs no 2, 3. Other cabs formed their own groups. As for core temperature the cabs no l, 5, 6, 7 vvere similar constituted a group each. in the correlation between climatic conditions and the operator's physiological characteristics, air temperature and relative humidity affect the physiological characteristics unfâvourable and importantly in cabs no l, 2, 3, 4 and fâvourabty and importanth/ in cabs 5, 6, 7. To have the operators work comfortably inside cabs in summer conditions of Çukurova region the air conditioning capacity is determined to be between 8 000-9 000 BTU per hour.