Component contribution of personal protective equipment to the alleviation of physiological strain in firefighters during work and recovery.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the components contributions of personal protective equipment on physiological strain in firefighters during exercise and recovery. Eight firefighters participated in trials in which various combinations of personal protective equipment components weighing from 1.3 to 15.1 kg were worn. The results showed that rectal temperature, changes in rectal temperature, mean skin temperature, heart rate, oxygen consumption and blood lactate concentration were smaller in conditions without boots (no-boots) than in other conditions with no helmet, gloves or self-contained breathing apparatus (P < 0.05). Increases in rectal temperature per unit mass of personal protective equipment were approximately twice as small in no-boots condition as the other conditions. These results suggest that the reduction of the boots' mass might be more efficient to alleviate heat strain of firefighters wearing personal protective equipment, rather than the reduction of the mass of self-contained breathing apparatus, helmet or gloves.
As firefighters’ protective boots induce greater physiological burden when compared with a helmet, gloves or self-contained breathing apparatus, personal protective equipment designers need to consider the improvement of boots in terms of mass reduction, improvement of thermal comfort and ease of doffing during recovery to alleviate physiological strain on firefighters.
a Department of Clothing and Textiles , Seoul National University , Seoul , South Korea.
Joo-Young
JY
Lee
Siyeon
S
Kim
Young-Joon
YJ
Jang
Yoon-Jeong
YJ
Baek
Joonhee
J
Park
D000328:Adult; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D061388:Firefighters; D017575:Gloves, Protective / Q000009:adverse effects; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000009:adverse effects; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D012775:Shoes / Q000009:adverse effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013546:Sweating / Q000502:physiology; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000502:physiology
clothing mass; firefighter; heat strain; personal protective equipment; protective boots