title: The European, Japanese and US protective helmet, gloves and boots for firefighters: thermoregulatory and psychological evaluations.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the physiological and subjective responses of the European, Japanese (JPN) and US firefighters' helmet, gloves and boots for international standardisation. Three experimental conditions were evaluated (clothing mass: 9.4, 8.2 and 10.1 kg for the three conditions, respectively) at the air temperature of 32°C and 60% relative humidity. The results showed that there was no significant difference among the three conditions in oxygen consumption, heart rate, total sweat rate, rectal temperature and mean skin temperature, whereas peripheral temperatures and subjective perceptions were lower in the JPN condition than in the other conditions (P < 0.05). These results indicate that a 0.5-kg reduction in helmet mass and a 1.1-kg reduction in boot mass during exercise resulted in a significant decrease in head and leg temperatures and subjective perceptions, while a 1.9-kg reduction in total clothing mass had insignificant influences on the metabolic burden and overall body temperature.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clothing and Textiles , Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University , (Bld #222, Office #306), 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742 , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yota
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Riichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oe
authors.forename: Su-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tochihara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005060:Europe; D005080:Exercise Test; D061388:Firefighters / Q000523:psychology*; D017575:Gloves, Protective / Q000592:standards; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000592:standards; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010465:Perception; D012775:Shoes / Q000592:standards; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013546:Sweating; D013696:Temperature; D014481:United States
keywords: firefighter; protective boots; protective gloves; protective helmet; thermoregulation