Citation

Moser DJ, Graham RB, Stevenson JM, Costigan PA. Work 2014; 47(1): 45-53.

Affiliation

School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, IOS Press)

DOI

10.3233/WOR-131690

PMID

24004749

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Mark 3 (M3) water power pump is an integral piece of wildfire fighting equipment. However, it is provided to fire stations without a carrying harness. The currently-used carrying harness was very uncomfortable, especially when carrying the pumps considerable distance in a forest to reach a water source. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to advise the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources on the selection of a new M3 load carriage system. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty Fire Rangers wore the three systems (Original, Prototype, and Modified) through a circuit of tasks representative of their working environment. METHODS: Subjective and objective approaches were combinedto assess and rank the M3 carriage systems. Subjective visual analogue scale ratings were obtained for ease of loading/unloading, comfort, system stability, and overall performance. Tri-axial accelerometers were mounted on each pump and at the sternum of each participant to determine relative pump-carrier accelerations. RESULTS: Overall, the Prototype was ranked as the best; it resulted in the lowest relative pump-carrier accelerations on 10 out of 15 objective measures, and also received a first place ranking on all subjective variables. CONCLUSION: It was recommended that the Prototype be implemented as the M3 carriage system for fire suppression teams.

Language: en