Paper Title
STUDY ON HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS AND THERMAL HAZARDS AT SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMEs)

Abstract
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are one of the employment sectors in Malaysia. This industry are exposed to heat stress conditions at the workplace. Exposure to heat stress can impact human health such as heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope and heat strokes among workers at the workplace. Therefore, this study aims were to (1) identify the thermal hazard at SMEs; (2) assess and compare the risk level of heat stress at SMEs using a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) meter and (3) suggest preventive and control measures based on risk decisions. Heat Stress Screening Checklist (HSSC) and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) were used to identify the thermal hazards and risk levels of heat stress at the workplace. The results shows that the adjusted WBGT values for the SMEs at Company A, B and C were 30.1℃, 30.2℃ and 30.5℃, indicated as “High Risk” for the risk level of heat stress. In conclusion, the heat stress exposed at SMEs required preventive measures based on the risk decisions from the specific heat risk level for high-risk category. These preventive measures aim to mitigate the heat stress at the workplace while taking into account with different environmental factors and work activities. Keywords - Heat Stress, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Thermal Hazard, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)