School of Physical Education and
Exercise Science

Heat Stress Laboratory

The Heat Stress Laboratory, located in the College of Public Health, is a collaboration of the College of Public Health – Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine – Department of Sports Medicine and the School of Physical Education and Exercise Science.   The Heat Stress Laboratory is equipped with an environmental chamber where the temperature and humidity can be controlled for various environmental conditions.  In addition, metabolic measurements for determination of energy expenditure can be undertaken.  This is primarily a research laboratory for investigating the effects of heat on physiological strain and physical work capacity.  Specifically, the interactive effects of heat, workload and protective clothing are explored.  Research has also been undertaken to evaluate personal cooling systems.  The majority of research from the Heat Stress Laboratory focuses on industrial and athletic applications where workers and athletes wear protective clothing, such as hazardous material clean-up crews and football players, respectively.  Dissemination of the research is focused on industry and sport, and is used to guide standards for work in the heat.  

Heat Stress Lab Research includes:

Ashley, C.D., Luecke, C.L., Schwartz, S.S., Islam, M.Z., T. E. Bernard.  (2008).  Heat strain at the critical WBGT and the roles of clothing, metabolic rate and gender.  International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 38:640-644.

Caravello, V., E.A. McCullough, C.D. Ashley, T.E. Bernard. (2008).  Apparent evaporative resistance at critical conditions for five clothing ensembles.  European Journal of Applied Physiology 2: XX, (in press).

Bernard, T. E., V. Caravello, S. W. Schwartz, C. D. Ashley. (2008).  WBGT clothing adjustment factors for four clothing ensembles and the effects of metabolic demands.  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 5:1-5.

Ashley, C. D., T. E. Bernard. (2008).  Effects of hoods and flame retardant fabrics on WBGT clothing adjustment factors.  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 5:59-62.

Bernard, T., Preston, C., Schwartz, S., Field, S. & Ashley, C. (2005). WBGT Offsets for 4

Clothing Ensembles at Moderate Metabolic Rate.  Journal of Occupational and Environmental

Hygiene, 2, 251-256.

Semeniuk, K., Dionne, J., Makirs, A., Bernard, T., Ashley, C., & Medina, T.  (2005). Evaluating

the physiological performance of a liquid cooling garment to control heat stress in hazmat

protective ensembles.  Journal of ASTM International, 2 (2), 71-80.

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