Predictor of thermal strain – User-friendly tool based on human thernophydsiological model calculations aimed for prevention of health risk in PPE

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F70565813%3A_____%2F22%3AN0000041" target="_blank" >RIV/70565813:_____/22:N0000041 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Predictor of thermal strain – User-friendly tool based on human thernophydsiological model calculations aimed for prevention of health risk in PPE

Original language description

Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) in environment with risk of CBRN presence is necessarily to achieve perfect barrier between the human body and the hazardous environment. On the other hand, the PPE poses a barrier to evaporative heat dissipation therefore increasing body heat accumulation and risk of thermal strain. This may cause loss of attention or reduction of cognitive functions and may lead to heat exhaustion and harmful health consequences. In our research, we prepared user-friendly computational tool Predictor of the Heat Strain (PTS) for estimation of thermal strain according to input data including PPE characteristics, environmental conditions, individual parameters and expected workload. The PTS tool is based on extensive database of simulated calculations using Fiala-based Human Thermophysiological Model (FMTK). The PTS tool has been optimized according to comparison of simulated calculations with 150 real tests of thermal strain with a group of 10 volunteers performing physical activity in climatic chamber. At first, we measured input data for the FMTK model – thermal resistance and evaporative resistance of the four types of protective ensembles using 34-zone Newton thermal manikin. Next, the same four types of protective ensembles were examined for induced thermal strain in real tests in climatic chamber under four various ambient conditions. The applicability of the optimized PTS tool was then tested in series of real field tests with a group of volunteers. The PTS showed to be a helpful tool for estimation of allowable work time limit on regards of thermal strain in PPE under various conditions.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30305 - Occupational health

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2022

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů