The Correlation Between Productivity and Heat Exposure of Sugarcane Farmers in Nongbuadaeng District, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to investigate the correlation between the productivity and heat exposure in different seasons of sugarcane cutters who is sugarcane farmers in Nongbuadaeng district, Chaiyaphum province. The study was conducted 2 seasons from January (winter) and February (summer) 2021. Data were collected by using: 1) Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer (WBGT) for temperature WBGT measurement 2)The questionnaire of information about working time and productivity. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation and Spearman's rank correlation. The findings show that, the lowest WBGT which was found in winter was 30.2 ºC and highest WBGT which was shown in summer was 31.2 ºC caused the low to medium risk of heat stress compared to the Workplace Safety and Health standard, Singapore (the risk level of heat stress is classified with WBGT, i.e., Low: < 31 ºC, Medium: 31 ºC – 31.9 ºC, and High: ≥32 ºC). During winter, sugar cane cutter could produce bundles of sugar cane in the range of 100-150 bundles (55.15%), less than 100 bundles (23.48%) and in average of 126 bundles (SD=43.17, median=120, min=15, max=253). Furthermore, in summer, the bundles of sugar cane were mostly in the range of 100-150 bundles (53.56%), more than 100 bundles (24.54%) and in average of 130 bundles (SD=49.33, median=130, min=12, max=350) which was higher productivity compared to the winter period because of high demand from the factory. For the relationship between productivity and WBGT in summer, it was found that an increased productivity was significantly associated with a decrease of heat or WBGT (p-value = 0.008). The result could suggest for farmers to have break under good wind flow and more water or fluid drinking to prevent heat stress and performing risk assessment to reduce the productivity impact.