title: Comfort of personal protective equipment.
abstract: The degree of comfort of personal protective equipment (PPE) was investigated in an automobile encapsulating plant. Up to 96.2% of employees used one or a combination of PPE. Only 8% of the workers felt their respirators were comfortable, 30% tolerated their respirators, and 62% rated them as uncomfortable. The percentage of employees who rated their PPE (other than a respirator) as comfortable ranged from 32 to 52%. For comfort factor, coveralls/aprons rated 52%, safety glasses 51%, rubber gloves 42%, and hearing protectors 36%. PPE was tolerable (just acceptable) for about 30% of the employees. To increase the effectiveness and safety of PPE, the human-factor aspects of PPE design should be emphasized more and quality improvement should cover the wearability of PPE.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Ohio, Department of Occupational Health, PO Box 10008, Toledo, OH 43699-0008, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akbar-Khanzadeh
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bisesi
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rivas