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Physiological Evaluation of Personal Protective Ensembles Recommended for Use in West Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2017

Aitor Coca ,
Tyler Quinn ,
Jung-Hyun Kim ,
Tianzhou Wu ,
Jeff Powell ,
Raymond Roberge  and
Ronald Shaffer
Aitor Coca*
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tyler Quinn
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jung-Hyun Kim
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tianzhou Wu
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jeff Powell
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Raymond Roberge
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ronald Shaffer
Affiliation:
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Aitor Coca, PhD, NPPTL, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 (e-mail [email protected]).
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Abstract

Objective

Personal protective equipment (PPE) provides health care workers with a barrier to prevent human contact with viruses like Ebola and potential transmission of the disease. However, PPE can also introduce an additional physiological burden from potentially increased heat stress. This study evaluated the human physiological and subjective responses to continuous light exercise within environmental conditions similar to those in West Africa while wearing 3 different, commonly used PPE ensembles (E1, E2, and E3).

Methods

Six healthy individuals were tested in an environmental chamber (32°C, 92% relative humidity) while walking (3 METs, 2.5 mph, 0% incline) on a treadmill for 60 minutes. All subjects wore medical scrubs and PPE items. E1 also had a face shield and fluid-resistant surgical gown; E2 additionally included goggles, coverall, and separate hood; and E3 also contained a highly impermeable coverall, separate hood, and surgical mask cover over the N95 respirator.

Results

Heart rate and core temperature at the end of the exercise were significantly higher for E2 and E3 than for E1. Subjective perceptions of heat and exertion were significantly higher for E2 and E3 than for E1.

Conclusions

Heat stress and PPE training, as well as the implementation of a work-to-rest ratio that avoids dehydration and possible heat stress issues, are recommended. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:580–586)

Keywords

Ebolapersonal protective equipment ensemblesheat stresscore temperature
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 5 , October 2017 , pp. 580 - 586
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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