The study examined the cold stress risks faced by Antarctic tourism expedition leaders during outdoor excursions. Eight leaders wore sensors to track skin temperature and activity during kayaking, snorkeling, or zodiac outings over three Antarctic cruises. Leaders' skin temperature was significantly lower during zodiac excursions compared to kayaking or snorkeling. While zodiac leaders had the coldest skin temperatures, they reported less discomfort than kayakers, possibly because operating the zodiacs is attentionally demanding. The findings suggest that leaders may not be aware of how cold their bodies are, putting them at risk for hypothermia. As Antarctic tourism grows, understanding these occupational safety risks remains important.
Journey to the Bottom of the Earth: Occupational Risk in Antarctica
1. Introduction
• The continent of Antarctica offers a formidable environmental
challenge to human physiology. [1]
• Risks due to cold exposure can range from short term
impairment – attentional decrement, physical discomfort,
limited mobility – to long term injuries like frost bite.[2]
• A growing tourism industry in Antarctica raises concerns about
the safety of tourist and occupational health risks that impact
tour guides. [3]
• Tour expedition leaders are exposed to the environment more
often and under more unpredictable conditions than tourists.
• The purpose of the current study was to identify the
prevalence and severity of cold stress risk in the Antarctic
tourism industry.
Figure 1: Sensors used during data collection; A) Skin
temperature, B) Activity level
Figure 2: Mean skin temperature across activities.
Figure 3: Mean subjective scores across activities. Cold
Perception (1=Very Hot, 9=Very Cold), Discomfort (1=Very
Comfortable, 5=Very Uncomfortable).
Methods
• Participants
• Eight expedition leaders (5 males and 3 females, age 40.37 ±
10.23 years)
• Kayaking, snorkeling, or zodiac/walking outings.
• Three voyages on an Antarctic cruise vessel
• 9-11 day voyages
• 10-12 outings per voyage
• 1-5 hour outings
• Materials and Tasks
• Objective metrics (Figure 1)
• Skin temperature
• Activity level via accelerometers
• Subjective metrics
• Perceived cold
• Discomfort due to cold
Results
• The duration of the excursions were negatively correlated with
outdoor temperature
• (r(149)=-.20, p=.011).
• Participant mean skin temperature was significantly colder during
zodiac excursions compared to kayaking or snorkeling (Figure 2)
• F(2,153) = 23.51, p < .001
• Participants perceived the kayaking excursions as being significantly
colder than the zodiac or snorkeling (Figure 3)
• F(2,158) = 16.34, p <.001
• Participants were less comfortable during the kayaking than the zodiac
or snorkeling (Figure 3)
• F(2,158) = 8.05, p < .001
• There was no significant difference in activity between the two high
activity tasks, kayaking and snorkeling, p>.05.
Conclusions
• Zodiac excursion leaders had significantly lower skin temperature than
other leaders but surprisingly did not report the most discomfort in
response to this cooling.
• This may be due to powerboat driving being an attentionally-
demanding task, which has been shown to dull uncomfortable thermal
perception, when water is littered with obstacles.
• These findings suggest that expedition leaders may not be aware of
how cold their body is, putting them at risk for hypothermia
• Understanding safety risks with working and touring Antarctica needs
to remain a priority as the industry continues to grow.
References
1. Halsey, L. G., & Stroud, M. A. (2012). 100 years since Scott reached the pole: A century of
learning about the physiological demands of Antarctica. Physiological Reviews, 92(2),
521-536.
2. Budd, G. M. (1989). Ergonomic aspects of cold stress and cold adaptation. Scandinavian
Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 15, 15-26.
3. de Freitas, C. R. (2003). Tourism climatology: Evaluating environmental information for
decision making and business planning in the recreation and tourism sector.
International Journal of Biometeorology, 48(1), 45-54.
Journey to the Bottom of the Earth:
Occupational Risk in Antarctica
Morris, D.M.1, Hamilton, G.L.1, Powell, R.B.2, & Pilcher, J.J.1
1Department of Psychology, Clemson University
2Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University
Presented at the 2016 Annual Graduate Research and Discovery
Symposium, Clemson, SC. 2016
Contact: Drew Morris at dmmorri@clemson.edu
A B
![Introduction
• The continent of Antarctica offers a formidable environmental
challenge to human physiology. [1]
• Risks due to cold exposure can range from short term
impairment – attentional decrement, physical discomfort,
limited mobility – to long term injuries like frost bite.[2]
• A growing tourism industry in Antarctica raises concerns about
the safety of tourist and occupational health risks that impact
tour guides. [3]
• Tour expedition leaders are exposed to the environment more
often and under more unpredictable conditions than tourists.
• The purpose of the current study was to identify the
prevalence and severity of cold stress risk in the Antarctic
tourism industry.
Figure 1: Sensors used during data collection; A) Skin
temperature, B) Activity level
Figure 2: Mean skin temperature across activities.
Figure 3: Mean subjective scores across activities. Cold
Perception (1=Very Hot, 9=Very Cold), Discomfort (1=Very
Comfortable, 5=Very Uncomfortable).
Methods
• Participants
• Eight expedition leaders (5 males and 3 females, age 40.37 ±
10.23 years)
• Kayaking, snorkeling, or zodiac/walking outings.
• Three voyages on an Antarctic cruise vessel
• 9-11 day voyages
• 10-12 outings per voyage
• 1-5 hour outings
• Materials and Tasks
• Objective metrics (Figure 1)
• Skin temperature
• Activity level via accelerometers
• Subjective metrics
• Perceived cold
• Discomfort due to cold
Results
• The duration of the excursions were negatively correlated with
outdoor temperature
• (r(149)=-.20, p=.011).
• Participant mean skin temperature was significantly colder during
zodiac excursions compared to kayaking or snorkeling (Figure 2)
• F(2,153) = 23.51, p < .001
• Participants perceived the kayaking excursions as being significantly
colder than the zodiac or snorkeling (Figure 3)
• F(2,158) = 16.34, p <.001
• Participants were less comfortable during the kayaking than the zodiac
or snorkeling (Figure 3)
• F(2,158) = 8.05, p < .001
• There was no significant difference in activity between the two high
activity tasks, kayaking and snorkeling, p>.05.
Conclusions
• Zodiac excursion leaders had significantly lower skin temperature than
other leaders but surprisingly did not report the most discomfort in
response to this cooling.
• This may be due to powerboat driving being an attentionally-
demanding task, which has been shown to dull uncomfortable thermal
perception, when water is littered with obstacles.
• These findings suggest that expedition leaders may not be aware of
how cold their body is, putting them at risk for hypothermia
• Understanding safety risks with working and touring Antarctica needs
to remain a priority as the industry continues to grow.
References
1. Halsey, L. G., & Stroud, M. A. (2012). 100 years since Scott reached the pole: A century of
learning about the physiological demands of Antarctica. Physiological Reviews, 92(2),
521-536.
2. Budd, G. M. (1989). Ergonomic aspects of cold stress and cold adaptation. Scandinavian
Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 15, 15-26.
3. de Freitas, C. R. (2003). Tourism climatology: Evaluating environmental information for
decision making and business planning in the recreation and tourism sector.
International Journal of Biometeorology, 48(1), 45-54.
Journey to the Bottom of the Earth:
Occupational Risk in Antarctica
Morris, D.M.1, Hamilton, G.L.1, Powell, R.B.2, & Pilcher, J.J.1
1Department of Psychology, Clemson University
2Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University
Presented at the 2016 Annual Graduate Research and Discovery
Symposium, Clemson, SC. 2016
Contact: Drew Morris at dmmorri@clemson.edu
A B](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/9f7d6829-5db2-4f41-901c-06c932e99fa1-160408204937/85/Journey-to-the-Bottom-of-the-Earth-Occupational-Risk-in-Antarctica-1-320.jpg)
