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Lucy E. Dorman
Lucy E.
Dorman
George Havenith
George
Havenith
Peter Broede
Peter
Broede
Victor Candas
Victor
Candas
Emiel A. den Hartog
Emiel A. den
Hartog
Ingvar Holmer
Ingvar
Holmer
Harriet Meinander
Harriet
Meinander
Wolfgang Nocker
Wolfgang
Nocker
Mark Richards
Mark
Richards
Modelling the metabolic effects of protective clothing
Loughborough University
2013
untagged
Design Practice and Management not elsewhere classified
2013-11-28 09:57:27
Conference contribution
https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/conference_contribution/Modelling_the_metabolic_effects_of_protective_clothing/9340490
Protective clothing is worn in many industrial and military situations. Although worn for protection
from one or more hazards, protective clothing can add significantly to the metabolic (energy) cost of
work. Suggestions put forward as to the mechanisms behind the observed increases include, the
additional clothing weight of the protective garments, possible friction between the number of layers
that must be worn and restriction of movement due to clothing bulk. However, despite much
speculation, these areas have not received much investigation.
Wearing protective clothing from a range of industries and with quite different characteristics for
example weight, bulk and stiffness significantly increased metabolic rate when walking, stepping and
completing an obstacle course activity. Increases in the metabolic rate of up to 20% above control
conditions (lightweight tracksuit and trainers worn) were seen. A number of clothing properties were
then investigated to try and understand the causes of these recorded metabolic rate increases. Clothing
bulk was measured at 3 sites, upper arm, torso and thigh. The stiffness of the clothing was also
calculated, using a method which measured the clothing drape of the sleeve, main body of the garment
and trouser leg.
A multiple regression carried out on the data showed body weight to be the best predictor of absolute
metabolic increases across all work modes. For the % increase in metabolic rate total clothing weight
was the best predictor. Torso bulk was negatively correlated with the increased metabolic rate for
walking and stepping and the overall average, whereas leg bulk was a significant predictor of an
increased stepping metabolic rate and leg stiffness a significant predictor for the obstacle course work
mode.