Cooling Suits, Physiological Response, and Task Performance in Hot Environments for the Power Industry

• Autorzy: Furtado A. L. , Craig B. N. , Chard J. T. , Zaloom V. A. , Chu H. W.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Heat stress on workers working outdoors in the power industry may result in fatigue and deterioration in task performance. This research collected and analyzed data on task performance of workers working indoors and outdoors with and without a cooling suit. The task performance was compared on the basis of heart rate, oxygen consumption, tympanic temperature, subjective responses, productivity, and error rates. Based on One-Way Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) results, a significantly lower estimated working oxygen consumption was observed (p < .001) when the cooling suit was worn. The productivity was higher while workers wore the cooling suit as compared to no cooling suit (p = .011) whereas the error rates were significantly lower (p < .001). Also a significantly lower self-reported discomfort was observed in the neck and shoulders while working wearing the cooling suit (p = .004). This study concluded that wearing a cooling suit while working outdoors was associated with physiological benefits as well as improved task performance of the study participants.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

heat stress; energy expenditure; task performance; cooling suit

• Wydawca: Taylor & Francis
• Czasopismo: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
• Rocznik: 2007
• Tom: Vol. 13, No. 3
• Strony: 227--239
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 24 poz., rys., tab., wykr.

Twórcy

autor

Furtado A. L.

• Department of Industrial Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, USA

autor

Craig B. N.

• Department of Industrial Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, USA

autor

Chard J. T.

• Altec Industries, Inc., Birmingham, AL, USA

autor

Zaloom V. A.

• Department of Industrial Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, USA

autor

Chu H. W.

• Department of Industrial Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, USA

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