ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMFORT BY THERMAL STRESS OF WORKERS IN CHEESE PRODUCTION PLANTS

Received: 24.08.2021; Revised: 30.09.2021, Accepted: 06.11.2021, Published Online: 30.11.2021

Guillermo Neusa Arenas

Occupational Health Specialist, zip code: 100105, Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ecuador. gneusa@utn.edu.ec, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0699-1821

Edgar Vinicio Lema Cáceres

Industrial Engineering, zip code: 100105, Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ecuador. evlema@utn.edu.ec, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1387-8555

Vicente Ramiro Saraguro Paspuel

Industrial Engineering, zip code: 100105, Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ecuador. rvsaraguro@utn.edu.ec, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6244-5246

Julio Alberto Pambabay

Master in Occupational Safety and Health, Master in Ergonomics, zip code: 170508. Sociedad Científica Ecuatoriana de Ergonomía SOCEERGO, Ecuador. julio.pambabay@ute.edu.ec, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9304-3808

Abstract

For Ergonomics, it will be necessary to take into account different work environments as dysergonomic factors, which can influence the well-being and job satisfaction of exposed workers. To evaluate and analyze the environmental comfort, derived from thermal stress in workers exposed in MSMEs within cheese production plants. The research will be descriptive and quantitative, and the analysis is based on a sample of 375 workers, arranged in different areas of the production process, will be surveyed in order to identify and recognize those variables that influence thermal discomfort. From the measurements of environmental parameters and the application of the Fanger method (INEN ISO 7730), it is possible to assert the existence of thermal discomfort due to cold, identifying the specific areas: packaging, storage, kneading and molding, agreeing on control measures, related to non-modifiable temperatures, consistent with the conservation of the final product (cheese), cause the conditioning of workers, manage preventive measures, through improvement programs focused on the welfare of workers belonging to the dairy sector in northern Ecuador.

Keywords: environmental ergonomics, thermal discomfort, temperature, prevention.