EMPIRICAL PREDICTION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSE TO PROLONGED WORK IN ENCAPSULATING PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

Work in moderate or hotter environments while wearing encapsulating pr otective clothing (PC) results in heat storage and substantial diminut ion of work productivity, as well as being a potential health risk. An ability to predict the responses of workers using PC would be very us eful. Predictions were made of work times at 21-degrees-C of 15 subjec ts performing prolonged hard work (450 W gross) while wearing PC, base d upon prior measures of short-duration bench stepping in PC and heart rate responses. A simple model was derived that shows good potential for predicting work time in moderate temperatures in PC; Total Time = 7.2 (bench step duration) - 34 (bench comfort) + 4 (height); R2 = 0.83 , C.V. = 13. Unexpectedly, models that incorporated recovery heart rat e as a variable were not as effective. With further refinement, the pr ediction approach tested in this study would be immediately useful for managing military and civilian personnel working in PC. Additionally, it could be utilized at minimal cost during routine training.