Studying the Rate of Heat Stress in Bakers

Background &Aims of the Study: Nowadays heat stress is one of the most current harmful physical agents in workplaces. Attentions to recognized consequences of heat stress and have no information about heat stress in Ardabil bakeries, this study have been done in 2013. Materials & Methods: This cross sectional research has been done in 96 different bread types bakeries in Ardabil. Among 301 bakeries in Ardabil city, 96 of them have been selected by stratified random sampling method. These 96 bakeries include 32 Barbaric bakeries, 45 Lavash, 15 Sangak and 4 special bakeries. To determine heat stress, WBGT index and WBGT meter made of Casella Company have been used. Results: Mean of total WBGT index in oven workstation and kneader workstation showed this index in traditional Barbaric, Lavash, Sangak, respectively was more than special bakeries. Special bakeries have least heat stress among other bakeries. This study showed 80.2% of workers in oven workstation and kneader workstation had heat stress. Conclusions: According to results of this study can state indoor WBGT index in special bakeries with least level of heat stress is better than other bakeries and traditional Barbaric identified as most unsuitable place. Workers in traditional bakeries exposed to heat stress.