Prioritizing and weighting determinants of workers' heat stress control using an analytical network process (ANP) a field study

Abstract Heat stress is a harmful factor in workplaces. The present study aimed to determine the prioritization and weights of determinants of heat stress control in workers (environment, worker, work) using an ANP. The present cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Shahid Bahonar Copper Industries Complex of Kerman (summer, 2018). This study had six general stages as follows: 1-ANP designing and problem investigation. 2-Designing an ANP questionnaire. 3-Development of binary comparison matrices. 4-Interdependence binary comparison matrices. 5-Building and combining superior matrix. 6-Weighting criteria using Super decisions software. Among the criteria, the environment, work and worker criteria accounted for the highest weights respectively. Among the effective factors of heat stress control (sub-criteria), the “work intensity” sub-criterion with a final weight of 0.8 was ranked first. The “Globe temperature” sub-criterion with a final weight of 0.49 was ranked second; and finally, the “metabolism” sub-criterion with a final weight of 0.46 was ranked third. Using the ANP, we concluded that the environment criterion had the highest weight; and the work intensity, globe temperature and metabolism sub-criteria had the highest weights respectively; and some measures should be taken to control them.