Effect of impermeable clothing and respirator on work performance. Part I. Laboratory studies

Work performance with impervious clothing and full-face respirator was investigated during maximal and submaximal (40 to 60%) bicycle ergometer efforts. Such levels would be required of attack teams during an assault on security systems designed to mandate the use of vapor barrier clothing (VBC) and respirators. Five different exercise protocols were administered. Heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (V/sub O/sub 2//), and skin and rectal temperatures (T/sub s/ and T/sub r/) were monitored. The impervious suits resulted in decreased work performance, aerobic metabolism, and tolerance time. Stress indices of HR and mean T/sub s/ were found to be correlated with these differences. The study demonstrates that a security system using a chemical deterrent places a physiological stress of considerable magnitude on an adversary group. Follow-on field studies have been conducted to relate the conclusions of these laboratory studies to field conditions. The results of the field studies will be reported in Part II.