Webinar - Heat: Performance Impairment and Mitigation

Wednesday, August 19, 2020 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

CRE-MSD wind energy webinar series

This is the third webinar in a series of free wind energy ("green ergonomics") webinars offered by CRE-MSD, in collaboration with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) and the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA). Renewable energy is the fastest growing energy source around the world. Consistent with global trends, wind energy has been the largest source of new electricity generation in Canada with an average annual installed capacity growth of 16 per cent over the past ten years. This growth has created a need for “green jobs” such as wind turbine technicians who are responsible for servicing and maintaining Canada’s fleet of wind turbines. Understanding the musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) hazards that these “green workers” face will assist in the development of processes to prevent injuries protecting this workforce.

Other webinars in this series

Green Ergonomics: Understanding MSD Hazard Exposures Within the Wind Energy Sector - May 28, 2020

Green Ergonomics: A Global Perspective on the Wind Energy Sector - Does Experience Matter? - July 8, 2020

In this webinar

Heat can impact occupational performance, health and safety. Wind energy service technicians face many challenges in their work including working in small spaces and managing heat stress. This webinar will provide an overview of the sources of heat stress including the impact of PPE on the thermal burden of a service technician. Approaches to mitigate the threat posed by high metabolic and climatic thermal loads will be outlined.

About the presenter

Dr. Mike Tipton
Dr. Mike Tipton is a Professor of Human & Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth in the UK. He has spent over 35 years researching and advising in the areas of drowning and thermoregulation, environmental and occupational physiology and survival in the sea. He has published 650 scientific papers, reports, chapters and books in these areas. Dr. Tipton has been a consultant in survival medicine to the Royal Air Force; he recently completed 10 years on the RNLI’s Medical Committee and is now a member of their Council. Dr. Tipton is a member of the Ectodermal Dysplasia Society’s medical advisory board. He chaired UKSport’s Research Advisory Group and sits on the English Institute of Sports’ Scientific and Ethics Advisory Group. Dr. Tipton chaired the Energy Institute’s Health Technical Committee; he is a Trustee/Director of Surf Lifesaving GB. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and The Physiological Society, and has been awarded a MBE for services to physiological research in extreme environments and the Ireland Medal for “saving lives from drowning worldwide."

Webinar resources

Webinar recording (WebEx)
Password: Wind2020

Webinar slide presentation (PDF)

For assistance, please contact Betina Butler at bbutler@uwaterloo.ca.


Disclaimer: CRE-MSD receives funding through a grant provided by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. The views expressed are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre nor of the Province of Ontario.