A Database of Static Thermal Insulation and Evaporative Resistance Values of Dutch Firefighter Clothing Items and Ensembles

Abstract

The rescue operations’ environment can impair firefighters’ performance and increase the risk of injuries, e.g., burns and hyperthermia. The bulk and carried weight of heavy protection contributes to lower physical performance, higher metabolic load and internal body heat production. For recommending optimal protection for the tasks and incident scenarios, knowledge of clothing thermal properties is needed. However, detailed data on firefighter protective clothing systems are not available. The aim of the study was to provide scientific background and a dataset that would allow for validation of thermo-physiological models for task-specific conditions of rescue work. Thermal insulation of 37 single items and their variations and 25 realistic protective clothing ensembles were measured on a thermal manikin. Twelve (12) ensembles that evenly covered the whole insulation range were selected for evaporative resistance testing. The equations for summing up individual item’s insulation to ensemble insulation and calculating clothing area factor were derived from the dataset. The database of a firefighter clothing system was created. In addition, the local and regional thermal properties of the clothing ensembles were provided for use in future validation of advanced thermo-physiological models for rescue worker exposure predictions and for designing decision aid tools.

Related factors of perioperative low body temperature and incidence of postoperative shivering in patients undergoing complex percutaneous nephrolithotomy and the effect analysis of composite insulation nursing intervention

“…Postoperative shivering is attributed to reduced body temperature and the vasoconstriction of arteriovenous shunts [ 26 ]. Factors such as inadequate air circulation in the operating room or exposure of surgical sites to cold conditions during the procedure can stimulate the body with cold stress, leading to the initiation of shivering responses [ 27 ]. Postoperative use of analgesics and sedatives may influence the body's central thermoregulation and vascular dilation, potentially resulting in postoperative shivering [ 28 ].…”

Heat strain in professional firefighters: physiological responses to a simulated smoke dive in extremely hot environments and the subsequent recovery phase

“…Ravanelli et al 37) present evidence that partial heat acclimatization can be attained through repeated exposure to thermal stress in training sessions, which improves sweating efficiency and core temperature control during conditions of uncompensable heat stress. However, water vapour permeability is typical low, and insulation is high in the PPE worn by the firefighters 38) . This reduces the capacity to dissipate heat by both evaporative and non-evaporative mechanisms, and the rate of heat storage for a given rate of heat production will increase.…”

Hierarchical PBO Nanofiber/PPS Melt-Blown Mats with a Controllable Porous Microstructure for Thermal Protection under Harsh Conditions

“…Fire hazards and sudden emergencies involving high temperature and heat radiation are seriously threatening public and social safety. , Thermal protective clothing (TPC) is an effective protection against excessive heat exposure to minimize burn injuries. , At present, thermal insulation is mainly provided by woven or nonwoven fabrics of fire-retardant fibers, such as aramids , and poly­( p -phenylene sulfide) (PPS) fibers. , However, these fabrics suffer from inadequate thermal insulation due to the micron-sized fiber diameters (>10 μm) and low porosity (<60%). , Thus, thick insulation layers are commonly required, which inevitably result in problems of hardness in mobility, slow moisture diffusion, and increased extra thermal stress. , …”

“…5,9 Thus, thick insulation layers are commonly required, which inevitably result in problems of hardness in mobility, slow moisture diffusion, and increased extra thermal stress. 10,11 The heat transfer mechanism across fabrics includes convection, conduction, and radiation. 12 Decreasing the fiber diameter of fabrics is believed to effectively increase thermal insulation by increasing the heat conduction path, reducing the gas flow, and decreasing the thermal radiation due to the decreased pore size and enhanced porosity.…”