Effects of thermal environment and chemical protective clothing on work tolerance, physiological responses, and subjective ratings

Abstract This study examined the physiological and subjective responses of nine healthy men who performed work while wearing two types of protective ensembles in each of three thermal environments. The subjects, all experienced with the use of protective ensembles, each performed low intensity treadmill exercise (23% of VO2 max while not wearing a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus [SCBA] or protective clothing) under six experimental conditions: two ensembles (SCBA—light work clothing and SCBA; and CHEM—a two-piece chemical protective ensemble with SCBA) during exposure to ‘cool’ (10·6°C/water vapour pressure [P w] 0·76 kPa), ‘neutral’ (22·6°C/Pw 1·52 kPa), and ‘hot’ (WC/P w 2·90 kPa) environments. Each test was intended to continue for 120 min; however the duration and number of work/rest periods within the testing session varied according to the specific responses of each individual. At the completion of each test seven subjective responses were recorded. Physiological data, collected every minute duri...