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Personal protective clothing is designed to safeguard medical personnel from highly infectious diseases. However, it often compromises comfort, especially when worn outdoors during epidemics like the global COVID‐19 outbreak. This can lead to discomfort and even heatstroke. To tackle this issue, radiative cooling is incorporated into personal protective clothing by integrating hierarchically porous poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) membranes into the fabric. These membranes possess a remarkable solar reflection rate of 96.9% and a strong mid‐infrared emittance of 95.2%. In practical scenarios, when exposed to clear sunny weather at midday, wearing radiative cooling personal protective clothing has the potential to reduce the temperature by 4.7 °C compared to commercially available personal protective clothing. Moreover, the lamination of porous PVDF‐HFP membranes enhances the protective capacity by increasing the synthetic blood penetration pressure from 7 to 20 kPa. The manufacturing process is straightforward, cost‐effective, and aligns with industry standards, making it suitable for large‐scale implementation in epidemic prevention and control. This technology offers comfortable protection while minimizing the risk of heatstroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Study Design Results Conclusions Relevance to Clinical Practice The health care sector is among the most carbon‐intensive sectors, contributing to societal problems like climate change. Previous research demonstrated that especially the use of personal protective equipment (e.g., aprons) in critical care contributes to this problem. To reduce personal protective equipment waste, new sustainable policies are needed.Policies are only effective if people comply. Our aim is to examine whether compliance with sustainable policies in critical care can be increased through behavioural influencing. Specifically, we examined the effectiveness of two sets of nudges (i.e., a Prime + Visual prompt nudge and a Social norm nudge) on decreasing apron usage in an intensive care unit (ICU).We conducted a field experiment with a pre‐ and post‐intervention measurement. Upon the introduction of the new sustainable policy, apron usage data were collected for 9 days before (132 observations) and 9 days after (114 observations) the nudge interventions were implemented.Neither the Prime + Visual prompt nudge, nor the Social norm nudge decreased apron usage.While previous studies have found that primes, visual nudges and social norm nudges can increase sustainable behaviour, we did not find evidence for this in our ICU field experiment. Future research is needed to determine whether this null finding reflects reality, or whether it was due to methodological decisions and limitations of the presented experiment.The presented study highlights the importance of studying behavioural interventions that were previously proven successful in the lab and in other field contexts, in the complex setting of critical care. Results previously found in other contexts may not generalize directly to a critical care context. The unique characteristics of the critical care context also pose methodological challenges that may have affected the outcomes of this experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The effects of personal protective clothing (PPC) on firefighters' gait were investigated to develop high-performance PPC. Methods. Thirteen participants participated in human trials with three types of PPC (firefighter protective clothing [FPC], semi-enclosed chemical protective clothing [CPC_semi] and fully enclosed chemical protective clothing [CPC_full]) and a T-shirt (control clothing [CON]). A three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system was used to obtain gait parameters (step length, step width, stride frequency, gait speed and toe-out angle) and the range of motion (ROM) of the joints (hip, knee and ankle). Results. PPC produced an increase in step width (23.4%, p > 0.05), but the gait speed (9.1%) and stride frequency (6.4%) decreased compared with the CON results. ROM is affected by the PPC type and joint. FPC and CPC_semi had no significant effect in terms of ROM of the hip and knee besides the landing angle of the knee. However, CPC_full had a significant effect on the maximum extension angle of the hip and maximum flexion angle of the knee, which reached up to 27.2%. Conclusion. The ROM of the firefighter's lower limbs was limited by PPC. This study offers insights into next-generation PPC design and development, as well as guidelines for training and firefighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal protective clothing (PPC) is required in a variety of sectors and is important from both a safety and a thermal management standpoint. Materials used in PPC play a key role in protection. Extensive research has been conducted on the risk variables that lead to thermal load and the corresponding functional properties of PPC, particularly in high-risk categories. In contrast, despite the fact that employees who wear this type of PPC constitute a major fraction of the industrial workforce, relatively little study has been undertaken on PPC materials in low-risk categories and their thermal management properties. For this study, four new PPC materials were specifically engineered to have improved thermal attributes and were compared with four existing PPC materials of equivalent protection levels, as well as four summer-season civilian materials, to determine the most suitable materials for use in hot outdoor environments. We investigated and compared the thermal management properties of these novel materials, including liquid moisture transfer, thermal and water vapor resistance, and air permeability, to those of current materials used in low-risk PPC as well as civilian materials. The results demonstrated that the new PPC materials had improved thermal and vapor resistance; superior liquid moisture transfer properties; higher air permeability; and were lower in mass and thickness than the existing PPC materials. Furthermore, the new materials compared favorably with the civilian materials in a number of these attributes. The new materials should be included in low-risk PPC designed for use in hot outdoor conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Despite the growing female firefighter population, firefighting gear was originally designed with only the male human form in mind. As a result, women in the fire service experience issues of improper fit and injuries at rates exponentially higher than their male counterparts. Areas of ill-fit, specifically in interfaces, can increase the risk of occupational exposure for women in the fire service. The purpose of this research was to determine fit and sizing issues of personal protective clothing (PPC) to improve female firefighters’ comfort, mobility, and safety. A mixed methods approach was adopted including a nationwide questionnaire, end-user focus groups, and remote three-dimensional body scanning of 189 female structural and wildland firefighters. Between 15%–21% of female firefighters were found to intentionally leave off a part of their PPC at least “sometimes,” if not “nearly always,” with the coat and pants being the primary items not donned. 100% of participants had wrist and ankle circumferences smaller than the smallest size garment’s wrist and pant leg openings per the wildland sizing system, indicating interface areas and wildland PPC have the greatest opportunities for design and fit improvement. This study gathered and created the first and largest U.S. female firefighter anthropometric database. Overall results indicate female firefighters are wearing PPC with significant fit issues that not only reduce their comfort and restrict their mobility but pose increased safety risks related to occupational exposure.

Background: Workplace hygiene is vital in controlling infectious diseases in industries. The factors like unhealthy environment, unhygienic workplace, and contact between healthy and disease-affected employees cause industrial hazards in workplaces. Objectives: This study assessed various components of workplace hygiene among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: A quantitative survey has been conducted in a steel, and power industry limited in Odisha. The study surveyed 425 male contractual workers for primary data on workplace hygiene. Probability proportion to sample technique adopted for justification of the sample. The univariate and bivariate analysis models have been done according to the study's objective. Results: Nearly 92% of respondents reported proper use of washing facilities, and 97% used toilet and urinal appropriately. One-fourth of respondents use personal disinfected clothing, and 92.2% have access to safe drinking water. The factors such as education, technical education, and occupation are significantly associated with respondents' use of washing facilities, dining hall, personal protective clothing, safe drinking water, proper cleaning, and sanitation at the workplace. Conclusion: Workplace hygiene strengthens the safety measures at the workplace and reduces the incidences of occupational hazards.

Materials used in personal protective clothing (PPC) are important from both protection and thermal management perspectives, particularly as PPC frequently covers more than 90% of the wearer's body. There is extensive literature on the risk factors that contribute to thermal load and the related functional characteristics of the PPC, especially in high-risk categories such as fire fighting and the military. In contrast, research on PPC materials in low-risk categories such as mining and construction and their thermal management attributes is scarce. Nevertheless, workers who wear this type of PPC represent a significant proportion of the industrial workforce, and are commonly required to work in hot and/or humid thermal environments. This study provides new knowledge of the thermal management attributes of materials used in low-level risk PPC by evaluating a selection of 19 workwear materials that are used in low-risk PPC worldwide. In addition, four civilian/corporate wear summer materials were tested to compare against the PPC materials. This study identifies relationships between the structure, physical parameters and functional attributes of materials, providing direction for development of new and improved PPC materials. The results show that there are opportunities to substantially reduce PPC material mass and thickness, whilst still maintaining protective compliance requirements. Further, thermal and moisture management attributes of PPC materials can also be significantly improved to reduce thermal burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arc flash is one of the main hazards that electrical energy presents. Due to its importance, arc flash research has focused on Alternating Current (AC) electrical systems. However, a considerable increase in Direct Current (DC) systems has been observed, particularly in integrating new technologies such as generation with non-conventional energy sources, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. Direct Current (DC) installations are exposed to the same dangerous situations as Alternating Current (AC) installations, so that no electrical installation can guarantee an arc flash-free situation. In this paper, calculations required to estimate the incident energy in AC and DC systems are methodologically described under guidelines established by the most current standards: IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations of 2018 and NFPA E70 Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace of 2021. This work uses a case study of a hospital facility on the Island of San Andrés, Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Workplace hygiene is vital in controlling infectious diseases in industries. The factors like unhealthy environment, unhygienic workplace, and contact between healthy and disease-affected employees cause industrial hazards in workplaces. Objectives: This study assessed various components of workplace hygiene among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: A quantitative survey has been conducted in a steel, and power industry limited in Odisha. The study surveyed 425 male contractual workers for primary data on workplace hygiene. Probability proportion to sample technique adopted for justification of the sample. The univariate and bivariate analysis models have been done according to the study's objective. Results: Nearly 92% of respondents reported proper use of washing facilities, and 97% used toilet and urinal appropriately. One-fourth of respondents use personal disinfected clothing, and 92.2% have access to safe drinking water. The factors such as education, technical education, and occupation are significantly associated with respondents' use of washing facilities, dining hall, personal protective clothing, safe drinking water, proper cleaning, and sanitation at the workplace. Conclusion: Workplace hygiene strengthens the safety measures at the workplace and reduces the incidences of occupational hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians may be required to work in hot, humid environments while wearing heavy protective clothing. We investigated the ability of an ice vest to attenuate physiological strain and subsequently extend work tolerance. Eight male participants (24.3 ± 4.1 yr, 51.9 ± 4.6 mL kg−1 min−1) walked (4.5 km h−1) in simulated hot and humid conditions (35 °C; 50% relative humidity). Participants wore either an EOD suit (CON) or EOD and ice vest (IV). Heart rate, core and skin temperature were recorded continuously. Participants walked longer in IV compared to CON (8.1 ± 7.4 min, p <.05). Over 90% of trials were terminated based on participants reaching 90% of their maximum heart rate. IV resulted in cooled skin (p <.001) and a physiologically negligible change in core temperature (p <.001). A condition by time interaction was identified for heart rate (p <.001), with a lower rate of rise in the IV condition. The cardiovascular inefficiency that limited performance was attenuated in the IV condition. The ice vest facilitated heat loss from the periphery; thus, the observed reduction in heart rate may reflect the preservation of central blood volume. The results identify the efficiency of a simple, inexpensive ice vest to assist EOD technicians working in the heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: This study was planned to compare intubating conditions with aerosol box, while attempting intubation with either direct laryngoscope (DL) using Macintosh blade or McGrath MAC™, videolaryngoscope (VL). Methodology: Sixty adult patients coming for the emergency surgeries during COVID-19 pandemic were divided equally by consecutive sampling into either Group 1 (DL) or Group 2 (VL). General anesthesia was administered with aerosol box covering the head and trunk of the patient. The laryngoscopy was attempted based on the group allocation with either VL or DL through aerosol box. Following observations were noted, total intubation time, number of attempts, Cormack–Lehane (CL) view, intubation difficulty scale (IDS), use of airway adjuncts, and external laryngeal maneuver. Results: Mean (standard deviation) time taken to intubate was 25.36 (6.22) sec in DL group and 21.9 (5.56) sec in VL group. Median IDS scoring was 1 in DL group and 0 in VL group indicating toward ease of intubation with the videolaryngoscope. Improved glottic view (CL Grade 1) was attained commonly with VL group and higher CL grades (2b) were common with DL group (23.3%). No intubation aids were required in VL group although 30% in DL required bougie for the intubation. External laryngeal maneuver was applied in 40% subjects undergoing DL with no maneuvers needed in VL group. First pass success of intubation was comparable in both the groups. Conclusion: Intubating conditions are favorable with VL when aerosol box is included which requires acquisition of the skills depending on its availability. However, the intubation should be attempted with the technique the clinician has the expertise during this pandemic.

Personal protective clothing (PPC) is critical for worker safety and wellbeing from both protection and thermal management perspectives, particularly as PPC typically covers more than 90% of the body. Research of PPC in low-risk categories such as mining, oil, gas, and construction and their thermal management attributes is limited, although these industries represent a significant proportion of the industrial workforce, work across a broad range of major industries, and frequently work in hot and/or humid thermal environments. This study evaluated and characterized the thermal management attributes of a selection of commercial low-level risk PPC ensembles currently used around the world as well as a civilian/corporate wear ensemble, using a sweating thermal manikin. The results demonstrate that there are substantially poorer thermal attributes for the PPC ensembles. Predicted Heat Strain Index (PHS) results for hot conditions reveal significantly lower duration limited exposure (DLE) and considerably greater body water loss for the wearers of PPC. Opportunities to substantially reduce PPC material mass and improve construction for these low-level risk categories in order to enhance thermal management performance are identified. Relationships between the thermal attributes of PPC and civilian clothing, and their garment construction, fit, and material characteristics are identified, providing new and important knowledge for current performance and direction for development of new improved PPC. This study provides researchers, developers, and garment designers with valuable insights for future improvement of PPC to create improved PPC for industrial workwear worn in hot environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene derivatives have the capability of forming chemical bonding with fabrics and show the potential to be used in smart textiles. However, the challenge is to fabricate highly conductive multifunctional fabric with good washing durability. Herein, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and silver (Ag)/copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs)‐coated durable electroconductive silk fabric is fabricated by facile dip and dry method using 3‐glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxy silane as coupling agent (CA). Results show that RGO and NPs‐coated fabrics not only demonstrate low surface resistance but also excellent electrothermal property, UV shielding, enhanced thermal stability, and outstanding hydrophobicity consistently in the following order: pure silk < silk‐RGO < silk‐CA‐RGO < silk‐CA‐RGO‐Ag < silk‐CA‐RGO‐Cu. The addition of CA and NPs is found to have a significant impact on performance and washing durability. Cu incorporated samples (silk‐CA‐RGO‐Cu) show a very low value of surface resistance (3.15 kΩ sq−1) and even after washing 20 times, the resistance (6.76 kΩ sq−1) is observed to be lower than unwashed non‐Cu incorporated samples. Moreover, silk‐CA‐RGO‐Cu also has the highest UV resistance, Joule heating, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability among all samples, which makes it well suited for numerous potential applications including protective clothing, health monitoring, motion sensing, and sports clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suitability, availability, and use of protective clothing are critical factors determining the actual dermal exposure (ADE) of operators and workers to pesticides. A realistic assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides requires information about the performance of protective clothing during everyday use. In this study, the performance of clothing or gloves has been investigated based on available dermal exposure data in order to provide recommendations for default protection factors that can be used in regulatory exposure assessments. Suitable dermal exposure data from available exposure databases were collated and analysed. The data that met the selection criteria for the analysis of the performance of protective clothing comprised studies in which protective clothing like cotton coveralls, cotton clothing, polyester–cotton coveralls, Sontara coveralls, Tyvek coveralls, butyl/neoprene gloves, latex/PE/vinyl/PVC gloves, or nitrile gloves were worn. Based on available potential and ADE levels, the migration of pesticides through this protective clothing was estimated. Evaluation of exposure data showed that on average only 2.3–2.6% of the pesticides present on the outside of the clothing or gloves migrated through the garments, although there was a large variation with migration up to 99%. Forearms, legs, and chest areas of the clothing tended to have the greatest migration of pesticides. Caution is needed in the selection of the appropriate protection offered protective clothing for specific situations. This study gives valuable information on the performance of protective clothing, for use in exposure assessment and for default setting in exposure modelling, taking into account the type of clothing or gloves worn. As new data become available, it may be possible to further refine the protection factors offered by different types of clothing or gloves, particularly where a common protocol has been used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of firefighters' heat-related illness (HRI) in the line of duty with relation to resting/working hours and the behaviour of taking off PPE during rest periods based on nationwide survey (N=674). The results showed that 74.8% of firefighters experienced HRI symptoms and 5% of firefighters suffered from symptoms of HRI 20 times or more in a year. This study also showed a statistically significant correlation between working hours and removing PPE with the experience of HRI symptoms (p<0.05). In addition, removing PPE except the helmet was correlated with resting hours (p<0.001; Gloves: p=0.051), which indicates that removing PPE is related to resting time. This study revealed that firefighters routinely experienced mild HRI symptoms and the fatalities were just a tiny fraction. It is also emphasized that attention should be given on the significant role of taking off PPE during rest and on the standardized firefighters' rehabilitation followed by its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For occupational safety, healthcare workers must select and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), protective clothing, and masks as countermeasures against exposure to infectious body fluids and blood splash. It is important for healthcare workers to ensure the protective performance of each PPE against penetration of pathogens. The International Standards Organization (ISO) 22609 test evaluates the effectiveness of medical facemasks to protect against penetration of splashed synthetic blood. However, in this method, the protective performance is determined only visually, without quantification of leaked liquid volume. Therefore, in this study, we modified the ISO 22609 test method to quantify the volume of leaked liquid and obtain a more accurate assessment of the protection performance. We tested non-woven and woven materials used for masks or protective clothing, and the performance of each material was classified using this new method. We found that the quantity of leaked synthetic blood was dependent on the structural characteristics of each material. These findings will allow healthcare workers to select the most appropriate PPE for a given situation or task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Textile Leader is the property of China Textile Information Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A major concern for responders to hazardous materials (HazMat) incidents is the heat strain that is caused by fully encapsulated impermeable (NFPA 1991) suits. In a research project, funded by the US Department of Defense, the thermal strain experienced when wearing these suits was studied. Forty human subjects between the ages of 25 and 50 participated in a protocol approved by the local ethical committee. Six different fully encapsulated impermeable HazMat suits were evaluated in three climates: moderate (24°C, 50% RH, 20°CWBGT), warm-wet (32°C, 60% RH, 30°CWBGT), and hot-dry (45°C, 20% RH, 37°C WBGT, 200 W m-2 radiant load) and at three walking speeds: 2.5, 4, and 5.5 km h-1. The medium speed, 4 km h-1, was tested in all three climates and the other two walking speeds were only tested in the moderate climate. Prior to the test a submaximal exercise test in normal clothing was performed to determine a relationship between heart rate and oxygen consumption (pretest). In total, 163 exposures were measured. Tolerance time ranged from as low as 20 min in the hot-dry condition to 60 min (the maximum) in the moderate climate, especially common at the lowest walking speed. Between the six difference suits limited differences were found, a two-layered aluminized suit exhibited significant shorter tolerance times in the moderate climate, but no other major significant differences were found for the other climates or workloads. An important characteristic of the overall dataset is the large variability between the subjects. Although the average responses seem suitable to be predicted, the variability in the warmer strain conditions ranged from 20 min up to 60 min. The work load in these encapsulated impermeable suits was also significantly higher than working in normal clothing and higher than predicted by the Pandolf equation. Heart rate showed a very strong correlation to body core temperature and was in many cases the limiting factor. Setting the heart rate maximum at 80% of predicted individual maximum (age based) would have prevented 95% of the cases with excessive heat strain. Monitoring of heart rate under operational conditions would further allow individually optimize working times and help in preventing exertional heat stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effects of a liquid cooling garment on the physiological and psychological strains of firefighters. Twelve participants wearing firefighting protective equipment with the liquid cooling garment (LCG group) and without the liquid cooling garment (CON group) were recruited to conduct human trials in a climate chamber. During the trials, physiological parameters (mean skin temperature (T sk), core temperature (T c), and heart rate (HR)) and psychological parameters (thermal sensation vote (TSV), thermal comfort vote (TCV), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE)) were measured continuously. The heat storage, sweating loss, physiological strain index (PSI), and perceptual strain index (PeSI) were calculated. The results indicated that the liquid cooling garment decreased the mean skin temperature (maximum value of 0.62 °C), scapula skin temperature (maximum value of 1.90 °C), sweating loss (26%), and PSI (0.95 scales) with a significant difference (p < 0.05) at some time points when compared with the CON group. Moreover, the liquid cooling garment had little influence (p > 0.05) on core temperature, heart rate, TSV , TCV , RPE , and PeSI. The association analysis indicated that psychological strain had the potential to predict physiological heat strain with an R2 value of 0.86 between the PeSI and PSI. This study offers insights into the evaluation of cooling system performance, the design of next-generation cooling systems, and the improvement of firefighters' benefits. • Self-contained breathing apparatus with protective clothing was used in human trial. • Effect of liquid cooling garment on physiological/psychological strain was explored. • The liquid cooling garment lowered skin temperature and physiological strain index. • The liquid cooling garment has minimal influences on psychological indices. • Psychological indices potentially predict physiological strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effect of arc-flash and fire-resistant (AFR) clothing ensembles (CE) on whole-body heat dissipation during work in the heat. On 10 occasions, 7 males performed four 15-min cycling bouts at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (400 W) in the heat (35°C), each separated by 15-min of recovery. Whole-body heat loss and metabolic heat production were measured by direct and indirect calorimetry, respectively. Body heat storage was calculated as the temporal summation of heat production and heat loss. Responses were compared in a semi-nude state and while wearing two CE styles: (1) single-piece (coveralls) and (2) two-piece (workpant + long-sleeve shirt). For group 1, there was one non-AFR single-piece CE (CE1STD) and three single-piece CE with AFR properties (CE2AFR, CE3AFR, CE4AFR). For group 2, there was one non-AFR two-piece CE (CE5STD) and four two-piece CE with AFR properties (CE6AFR, CE7AFR, CE8AFR, CE9AFR). The workpants for CE6AFRwere not AFR-rated, while a cotton undershirt was also worn for conditions CE8AFRand CE9AFRand for all single-piece CE. Heat storage for all conditions (CE1STD: 328 ± 55, CE2AFR: 335 ± 87, CE3AFR: 309 ± 95, CE4AFR: 403 ± 104, CE5STD: 253 ± 78, CE6AFR: 268 ± 89, CE7AFR: 302 ± 70, CE8AFR: 360 ± 36, CE9AFR: 381 ± 99 kJ) was greater than the semi-nude state (160 ± 124 kJ) (all p ≤ 0.05). No differences were measured between single-piece uniforms (p = 0.273). Among the two-piece uniforms, heat storage was greater for CE8AFRand CE9AFRrelative to CE5STDand CE6AFR(all p ≤ 0.05), but not CE7AFR(both p > 0.05). Differences between clothing styles were measured such that greater heat storage was observed in both CE1STDand CE2-4AFRrelative to CE5STD.Further, heat storage was greater in CE2AFRand CE4AFRrelative to CE6AFR, while it was greater in CE4AFRcompared to CE7AFR. Body heat storage during work in the heat was not influenced by the use of AFR fabrics in the single- or two-piece uniforms albeit less heat was stored in the two-piece uniforms when no undershirt was worn. However, heat storage was comparable between clothing styles when an undershirt was worn with the two-piece uniform. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Workers involved in the production of Cd/As-based photovoltaic modules may be routinely or accidentally exposed to As- or Cd-containing inorganic compounds. Methods: Workers' exposure to As and Cd was investigated by environmental monitoring following a worst-case approach and biological monitoring from the preparation of the working facility to its decommissioning. Workplace surface contamination was also evaluated through wipe-test sampling. Results: The highest mean airborne concentrations were found during maintenance activities (As = 0.0068 μg m−3; Cd = 7.66 μg m−3) and laboratory simulations (As = 0.0075 μg m−3; Cd = 11.2 μg m−3). These types of operations were conducted for a limited time during a typical work shift and only in specifically suited containment areas, where the highest surface concentrations were also found (laboratory: As = 2.94 μg m−2, Cd = 167 μg m−2; powder containment booth: As = 4.35 μg m−2, Cd = 1500 μg m−2). The As and Cd urinary levels (As_u; Cd_u) were not significantly different for exposed (As_u = 6.11 ± 1.74 μg 1−1; Cd_u = 0.24 ± 2.36 μg g−1 creatinine) and unexposed workers (As_u = 6.11 ± 1.75 μg 1−1; Cd_u = 0.22 ± 2.08 μg g−1 creatinine). Conclusion: Despite airborne arsenic and cadmium exposure well below the threshold limit value (TLV) when the operation is appropriately maintained in line, workers who are involved in various operations (maintenance, laboratory test) could potentially be at risk of significant exposure, well in excess of the TLV. Nevertheless, the biological monitoring data did not show significant occupationally related arsenic and cadmium intake in workers and no significant changes or differences in arsenic and cadmium urinary level among the exposed and unexposed workers were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We investigated nanomaterial release associated with the contamination of protective clothing during manipulation of clothing fabrics contaminated with nanoparticles. Nanomaterials, when released as airborne nanoparticles, can cause inhalation exposure which is the route of exposure of most concern to cause adverse health effects. Measurement of such nanparticle re-suspension has not yet been conducted. Protective clothing can be contaminated with airborne nanoparticles during handling and operating processes, typically on the arms and front of the body. The contaminated clothing could release nanoparticles in the general room while performing other activities and manipulating the clothing after work. Methods: The exposures associated with three different fabric materials of contaminated laboratory coats (cotton, polyester, and Tyvek), including the magnitude of contamination and particle release, were investigated in this study by measuring the number concentration increase and the weight change on fabric pieces. This study simulated real life occupational exposure scenarios and was performed in both regular and clean room environments to investigate the effect of background aerosols on the measurements. Concentration were measured using particle spectrometers for diameters from 10nm to 10 µm. Collected aerosol particles and contaminated fabric surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and elemental composition analysis. Results: The magnitude of particle release from contaminated lab coat fabric was found to vary by the type of fabric material; cotton fabric showed the highest level of contamination and particle release, followed by Tyvek and polyester fabrics. The polyester lab coat material was found to have the lowest particle release to deposition (R/D) ratio. The particle release number concentrations were in a range of 768-119 particles cm-3 and 586-187 particles cm-3 in regular and clean rooms, respectively. Multiple peaks were observed in the number concentration distribution data, with particle diameters peaking at 40-50 and 100-300nm. Conclusions: The SEM analysis of the contaminated fabric surface found test particles and other environmental particles. The elemental composition analysis presented detectable response to the studied alumina oxide particles. The laboratory coat primarily made of cotton woven material is not recommended for worker protection against nanoparticle exposure because of the highest particle contamination and release ability. In addition, the result demonstrated that a well-controlled (clean- room) environment is critical to investigate the factors affecting nanoparticle interaction with protective clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The function of cleanroom clothing is to protect the product from contamination by people, and to dissipate electrostatic discharge. People in the cleanroom work environment often complain about the discomforts associated with the wearing of cleanroom clothing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of air permeability and water vapor permeability of cleanroom clothing on the subject's physiological and subjective responses. Five male and five female subjects participated in this study. The experimental goal was to simulate the operator's regular tasks in a semiconductor manufacturing cleanroom. Each subject completed three treatment combinations with three different cleanroom clothing types. A three-factor experiment was designed (significance level p = 0.05). The independent variables included gender, cleanroom clothing, and duration. The dependent measures included heart rate, core temperature, skin temperature, micro-climate relative humidity, micro-climate temperature, and subjective responses. A total of 40 min was involved for each treatment condition. The results indicate that skin temperature, micro-climate temperature and micro-climate relative humidity were lower while wearing cleanroom clothing with high air permeability and high water vapor permeability. The significant gender difference was found in skin temperature. As the task time increased, the micro-climate temperature also increased but the micro-climate relative humidity decreased at first and then increased. In addition, the physiological responses showed significant positive correlations with the subjective perception of clothing comfort. The findings of this study may provide useful information for cleanroom clothing design and selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental and biological monitoring of platinum containing drugs was implemented in two French hospital pharmacies using positive air pressure isolators and having similar working procedures when preparing antineoplastic drugs. Wipe sampling of surfaces, gloves, and vials was performed in the preparation room and in storage areas. All employees involved in the preparation of antineoplastic drugs were tested for urinary platinum on Monday before work and Friday after shift. Only traces of platinum were detected on surfaces in the preparation room outside the isolators (less than 1.61 pg cm−2). However, in one center, significant contamination was found in the storage area of the drug vials, which can most likely be linked to the rupture of a platinum vial and due to inefficient cleaning procedures. Surfaces inside the isolators were found to be contaminated (maximum: 198.4 pg cm−2). A higher level of contamination was detected in one pharmacy and could be explained by the lack of overgloving with regular changes during the preparation process. Nitrile gloves used during drug handling outside the isolator showed the highest platinum concentration (maximum: 5.86ng per pair). With regards to platinum urine concentration, no significant difference was found between exposed and unexposed pharmacy personnel. Isolator technology combined with individual protective measures seems to be efficient to protect workers from occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs, whereas specific individual protective procedures implemented were focussing on the risk of handling vials outside the isolator (e.g. high frequency of glove changing). Moreover, overgloving inside the isolator would contribute to substantially decrease inner surface contamination and should be recommended in order to limit the transfer of chemical contamination to the end products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year, millions of health care, first responder, and industry workers are exposed to chemical and biological hazards. Disposable nitrile gloves are a common choice as both a chemical and physical barrier to these hazards, especially as an alternative to natural latex gloves. However, glove selection is complicated by the availability of several types or formulations of nitrile gloves, such as low-modulus, medical grade, low filler, and cleanroom products. This study evaluated the influence of simulated movement on the physical integrity (i.e., holes) of different nitrile exam glove brands and types. Thirty glove products were evaluated out-of-box and after exposure to simulated whole-glove movement for 2 hr. In lieu of the traditional 1 L water-leak test, a modified water-leak test, standardized to detect a 0.15 ± 0.05 mm hole in different regions of the glove, was developed. A specialized air inflation method simulated bidirectional stretching and whole-glove movement. A worst-case scenario with maximum stretching was evaluated. On average, movement did not have a significant effect on glove integrity (chi-square; p = 0.068). The average effect was less than 1% between no movement (1.5%) and movement (2.1%) exposures. However, there was significant variability in glove integrity between different glove types (p ≤ 0.05). Cleanroom gloves, on average, had the highest percentage of leaks, and 50% failed the water-leak test. Low-modulus and medical grade gloves had the lowest percentages of leaks, and no products failed the water-leak test. Variability in polymer formulation was suspected to account for the observed discrepancies, as well as the inability of the traditional 1 L water-leak test to detect holes in finger/thumb regions. Unexpectedly, greater than 80% of the glove defects were observed in the finger and thumb regions. It is recommended that existing water-leak tests be re-evaluated and standardized to account for product variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main objective of this work is the establishment of useful guide lines for secure fighting of high intensity fires, namely the determination of the influence of the personal protective clothing properties on safety during wildland firefighting operations. The physiological reaction of men exposed to these extreme conditions is obtained by numerical simulation of the heat and the mass transfer from an individual in the proximity of a fire line, as representative of a typical situation of a firefighter suppressing a high intensity fire. It is obvious that the impinging flux density depends on flame''s dimensions and its properties as well as on the distance between the flame and those involved in fire suppression activities. The results obtained were calculated using a computer program based on a modified version of the Stolwijk thermoregulation model. Taking into account the time evolutions of skin, rectal and hypothalamus temperatures, a parametric study is presented about the importance of clothing properties, activity level and other external parameters in order to avoid the risk of significant undesired thermophysiological reactions within the firefighters. The results clearly show that, besides the improvement of personal protective clothing properties, the safety of firefighters is essentially related to good control of the exposure times to these high intensity radiation fluxes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Contact dermatitis is common in the chemical industry. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of self‐reported skin problems in employees involved in the drying, blending, milling, grinding and filling/bagging end of chemical manufacture in small‐ to medium‐sized contract manufacturing/processing chemical companies in Great Britain. There were several secondary aims. Twenty‐three per cent of the employees interviewed reported having had a skin problem in the previous 12 months. Of those reporting problems, 46% were always/nearly always involved in blending and 56% were always/nearly always involved in filling and bagging. These same processes were also more commonly associated with continuous or recurring skin problems. Seventy‐five per cent reported a problem involving the upper limbs; most had more than one body area affected. Forty‐three per cent had consulted a doctor (67% their general practitioner) and 9% took time off work as a result of their skin condition. Skin problems seemed to peak (34% employees) in those who had spent between 1 and 2 years in their current job. Solvents, known skin irritants, were the most frequent, single category of chemicals encountered in the study. Over 92% had been told how to avoid skin problems; 85% reported that they always/almost always wore protective clothing. Despite these measures, a significant number had reported having had a skin problem related to their work in the previous 12 months. Particular attention to control measures based on risk assessment is recommended for these physical processors in the chemical industry. Further research is also recommended into the whole area of personal protective clothing and the individual worker's perception of risks to health in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• In developing countries the use of correct personal protective equipment its use falls short of safe use. • A discussion with the regulatory agency aimed at greater health control of rural workers is needed. • The case study showed that the intended evaluations are adequate and agreement with the in vitro procedure was observed. • Further in vivo studies are being performed for this pesticide. • In vitro study should be performed with other pesticides with different physicochemical characteristics. In order to evaluate dermal absorption during typical working conditions in family farming, the amount of dimethoate on clothing and in the stratum corneum (SC) was measured in three rural workers. This was achieved by using cotton patches on the worker's clothes and SC quantification by the tape stripping approach. To mimic the above study, an in vitro approach was performed using Franz cells by applying dimethoate (0.4 and 1.8 μg) direct to pig skin or, on a section of cotton before contact with pig skin. The in vivo case results demonstrated the high levels and variability of agrochemicals to which these farmers are subjected, with the total potential dermal absorption between 0.87–2.85 mg/person/h and the estimated SC penetration factor (PF) between 0–54.0 and 0–28.9 % for the back of the neck and the arms respectively. This probably demonstrates the impact of correct protective clothing. For the in vitro study, the amount of pesticide retained in the SC was 52.63 ± 10.73and 135.15 ± 31.8 ng/cm2 after applying 0.4 and 1.8 μg of pesticide directly on SC, and demonstrated close agreement with the in vivo approach. Further studies performed with this and other pesticides with different characteristics will contribute to the understanding of their transport through the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach was developed to predict the heat stress and skin injury of firefighter wearing protective clothing when exposed to low-level radiation. Heat flux profile under the clothing was generated by a bench top tester and applied to a proposed human thermoregulation model to simulate skin temperature at different body segments and core temperature. The resulting skin temperature was applied to calculate skin burn and the core temperature was used as the indication of heat stress to evaluate maximum exposure time. The predicted time to skin burn was compared with those calculated by the Pennes model. The results indicated that the new approach predicted lower skin temperature and longer time to 1st and 2nd degree burn compared with the traditional method, which was attributed to the change of blood flow, sweating rate, and body heat production. Furthermore, the new approach demonstrated that the time to skin burn at different body segments varied largely. The mean skin temperatures over-estimated the predicted time to 2nd degree skin burn than those simulated by the local skin temperatures at most body segments. Additionally, the maximum exposure time calculated by core temperature was longer than the time to 2nd degree skin burn simulated by skin temperature, indicating different physiological indicators would predict different safety exposure time. Generally, the proposed approach can assess physiological responses and maximum exposure time for firefighters as well as providing fundamental knowledge for the design of firefighter's protective clothing. • A new approach was proposed by coupling a bench top tester with a human thermoregulation model. • Heat stress of firefighter in personal protective clothing was assessed under low-level radiation. • Skin burn at different body segments was simulated and time to skin burn varied greatly among segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]