Wearing long pants while working outdoors in the tropics does not yield higher body temperatures

• Published in: Australian and New Zealand journal of public health 2013-02, Vol.37 (1), p.70-75
• Main Authors: Sinclair, Wade H., Brownsberger, Jarrod C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Australia; Blood; Body mass; body mass changes; Body temperature; Body Temperature Regulation; Climate change; dehydration; Environmental conditions; Ergonomics; Gardening; Heart rate; Heat; Heat exchange; heat stress; Humans; Hydration; Knee; Male; Middle Aged; Physical Exertion; Skin cancer; Skin Temperature; Statistics, Nonparametric; Temperature; Thigh; Time Factors; Tropical Climate; Tropical environment; Tropical environments; Workers; Workload; workload practices
• ISSN: 1326-0200; 1753-6405
• DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12013

To compare the thermoregulatory demands of outdoor workers wearing long or knee‐length pants while working in situ in a tropical environment. Fifteen male (35.8 ± 10.5 yr) outdoor Council workers completed their daily occupational duties (construction or gardening) in trials conducted six days apart: once wearing knee‐length shorts (SHORTS) and once wearing full‐length pants (PANTS). Body mass and hydration were assessed prior to and following each trial with core body (TC) and mean skin temperature (MST; weighted from sites: chest, arm, thigh and calf) assessed at 30‐minute intervals throughout each trial. No significant differences between SHORTS and PANTS for TC, maximum TC, heart rate, MST or body mass changes. Skin temperature at the calf was greater for PANTS (33.8 ± 0.4°C) compared to SHORTS (32.9 ± 0.4°C; p