Citation

Dawson NJ, Hill PM, Legg SJ. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 1993; 11(4): 321-330.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Tests of "Spacetime" Survival Coverall suits and the associated gloves and boots of the ensemble were carried out on six men. Four men maintained their rectal temperature above 36[deg]C for six hours in a bath of circulating water at 12[deg]C. Two men had to be withdrawn from the bath because they reached a rectal temperature of 35.5[deg]C, the ethical withdrawal criterion, before the six-hour period had elapsed. Linear regression of rectal temperature versus time during the terminal part of the exposure was carried out for all men. One of the subjects who was withdrawn would almost certainly have had a rectal temperature above 34[deg]C at the end of six hours had he remained in the bath. The other subject would have had a rectal temperature classifiable as "incipient death" (30[deg]C). The relatively rapid fall in rectal temperatures in two subjects did not appear to relate directly to body size, but leakage may have been a contributing factor. Comparison with data in the literature indicates that the immersion suit is advantageous, but separate experimentation would have to be carried out to determine quantitatively how valuable it is in extending the survival time of men immersed in cold water in comparison with other suits on the market.