Volume 18, Issue 2 (Occupational Medicine Quarterly Journal 2026)
tkj 2026, 18(2): 4-7 |
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Ghanbari E, Soltani R. Beyond the Worksite: Residential Recovery as a Missing Dimension of Occupational Heat Stress. tkj 2026; 18 (2) :4-7
URL: http://tkj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-1424-en.html
URL: http://tkj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-1424-en.html
Master of Science in Food Hygiene and Safety, Student Research Committee, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran , ghanbari821@gmail.com
Abstract: (42 Views)
Dear Editor,
Occupational heat stress is recognized as one of the most significant occupational health hazards in hot working environments, and extensive research has focused on strategies to control heat exposure during work. However, the role of the residential environment and workers' recovery conditions between shifts has received comparatively little attention. Existing evidence suggests that inadequate recovery following heat exposure—particularly among workers living in hot residential settings with limited access to cooling resources—can impair sleep quality, disrupt thermal regulation and hydration status, and increase susceptibility to heat-related illnesses during subsequent workdays. Urban heat island effects, poor housing quality, and restricted access to cooling systems are among the factors that may adversely affect physiological recovery. In addition, off-duty factors such as dehydration, insufficient sleep, and certain individual behaviors can further exacerbate the effects of occupational heat stress. This article highlights the need to expand occupational health perspectives beyond the workplace and into the residential environment. It advocates considering cumulative 24-hour heat exposure, sleep quality, and housing conditions as key determinants in the prevention and management of occupational heat stress.
Occupational heat stress is recognized as one of the most significant occupational health hazards in hot working environments, and extensive research has focused on strategies to control heat exposure during work. However, the role of the residential environment and workers' recovery conditions between shifts has received comparatively little attention. Existing evidence suggests that inadequate recovery following heat exposure—particularly among workers living in hot residential settings with limited access to cooling resources—can impair sleep quality, disrupt thermal regulation and hydration status, and increase susceptibility to heat-related illnesses during subsequent workdays. Urban heat island effects, poor housing quality, and restricted access to cooling systems are among the factors that may adversely affect physiological recovery. In addition, off-duty factors such as dehydration, insufficient sleep, and certain individual behaviors can further exacerbate the effects of occupational heat stress. This article highlights the need to expand occupational health perspectives beyond the workplace and into the residential environment. It advocates considering cumulative 24-hour heat exposure, sleep quality, and housing conditions as key determinants in the prevention and management of occupational heat stress.
Keywords: Occupational Heat Stress, Post-Work Recovery, Residential Environment, Sleep, Hydration, Occupational Health
Type of Study: short communication |
Subject:
occupational medicine
Received: 2026/06/18 | Accepted: 2026/08/1 | Published: 2026/08/1
Received: 2026/06/18 | Accepted: 2026/08/1 | Published: 2026/08/1
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