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Citation |
Kim S, Lee JY. Ergonomics 2015; 59(4): 496-503. |
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Affiliation |
a College of Human Ecology, Seoul National University , Seoul , Korea. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2015, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
26214379 |
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Abstract |
The aim of this study was to investigate stable and valid measurement sites of skin temperatures as a non-invasive variable to predict deep-body temperature while wearing firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE) during air temperature changes. Eight male firefighters participated in an experiment which consisted of 60-min exercise and 10-min recovery while wearing PPE without self-contained breathing apparatus (7.75 kg in total PPE mass). Air temperature was periodically fluctuated from 29.5 to 35.5°C with an amplitude of 6°C. Rectal temperature was chosen as a deep-body temperature and 12 skin temperatures were recorded. The results showed that the forehead and chest were identified as the most valid sites to predict rectal temperature (R(2) = 0.826 and 0.824, respectively) in an environment with periodically-fluctuated air temperatures. The present study suggests that particular skin temperatures are valid as a non-invasive variable when predicting rectal temperature of an individual wearing PPE in changing ambient temperatures. Practitioner summary This study should offer assistance for developing a more reliable indirect indicating system of individual heat strain for firefighters in real time, which can be used practically as a precaution of fire fighters' heat-related illness and utilized along with physiological monitoring. Language: en |