Evaluating the Performance of American Change Phase Paraffin Cooling Vest and Iranian Spadana Gel Ice Cooling Vest on the Perceptual and Physiological Strain Score Index in Hot and Humid Working Conditions of Assaluyeh in Iran

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of change phase paraffin cooling vest and Iranian Spadana gel ice cooling vest on the perceptual strain score index (PeSI) and physiological strain score index (PSI). This study investigated the effect of the vests on the wearers’ ability to work in hot and humid working conditions of Assaluyeh in Iran. The importance of preventing heat stress and maintaining individuals’ performances in hot workplaces provided the impetus for this study.
This cross-sectional interventional study was conducted in 2016 on 90 individuals (30 individuals with Iranian cooling vests containing Spadana cooling gel ice packs, 30 individuals with change phase paraffin cooling vests, and 30 individuals without vests). All 90 were workers with an identical level of physical activity and uniforms in Assaluyeh , which has an average temperature of with 47°C and 95% relative humidity in the summer. The heart rate (HR) and oral temperature (OT) were measured in order to assess the (PSI), and the questionnaires of PeSI and heat strain score index (HSSI) were also administered to assess the PeSI and the sweating while wearing the vests and in the control group, The WBGT index was measured for 120 minutes as well, and the checklist of individual strength (CIS) and the comfort assessment questionnaire were filled by the workers too. The repeated measures Test and the statistical analysis software SPSS 21 were used to analyse and compare the data.
The WBGT mean index was 37.65°C for all the three groups, the average heart rate in the group with the Iranian cooling vests was 91.76, in the group with the paraffin cooling vests was 89.53, and in the control group was 97.07 beats per minute. The mean oral temperature in the group with the Iranian cooling vests was 36.7°C, in the group with the paraffin cooling vests was 36.78°C, and in the control group was 36.63°C. The mean of PSI value was 3.18 in the group with the Iranian cooling vests, 2.29 in the group with the paraffin cooling vests, and 6.12 in the control group. The mean PeSI value in the group with Iranian cooling vests containing Spadana cooling gel ice packs was 7.39, while HSSI value was 6.33. For the group with paraffin change phase vests, the mean PeSI value was 6.36, while the HSSi value was 5.92. For the control group, the PeSI value was 9.95 and the HSSI was 13.28. The mean scores of PeSI, HSSI, PSI, and CIS in the groups with paraffin change phase cooling vests and Iranian cooling vests containing Spadana cooling gel ice packs had a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (P0/05).
The findings suggest that wearing the paraffin cooling vests and the Iranian cooling vests with Spadana gel ice for 90 minutes can acceptably and appropriately reduce the heat stress level of the users by decreasing the oral temperature, the heart rate, and the PeSI value, while increasing the CIS score.