A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate

PPE is made of an impermeable material that healthcare workers put on to protect themselves from the transmission of viruses, particularly during pandemics such as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. It can be a significant contributor to heat stress since the insulating effect of the clothing is essential for...

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Main Author: Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina
Format: Monograph
Language:English
Published: Universiti Sains Malaysia 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.usm.my/55678/
http://eprints.usm.my/55678/1/A%20Pilot%20Study%20Of%20Heat%20Stress%20Risk%20Evaluation%20While%20Wearing%20Personal%20Protective%20Equipment%20Suit%20In%20A%20Tropical%20Climate_Aini%20Syazwina%20Ahmad%20Khaizi.pdf
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author Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina
author_facet Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina
author_sort Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina
building USM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description PPE is made of an impermeable material that healthcare workers put on to protect themselves from the transmission of viruses, particularly during pandemics such as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. It can be a significant contributor to heat stress since the insulating effect of the clothing is essential for maintaining thermal comfort. The climate in Malaysia is hot and humid, and the average annual temperature can reach up to 25.4°C. As a result, it will cause heat stress to occur more quickly. The objective was to assess the level of heat stress when wearing PPE in a tropical climate using PSI. Two males participated in this pilot study, in which their body temperature and heart rate were measured while they engaged in activities while wearing PPE. The activities comprised standing, walking on a treadmill at a speed of 0.5 m/s and writing on a computer, walking on a treadmill at a speed of 1.5 m/s, and walking slowly around the court. These activities were included in three different studies; control and intervention in indoor and outdoor working conditions. The participants' maximum body temperature was measured at 37.8°C, their heart rates ranged from 150 to 160 beats per minute, and they experienced moderate level of heat stress while carrying out work of moderate intensity exercises. Future research must analyse the physiological responses when PPE is worn in a tropical climate using a climatic chamber and precise equipment.
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spelling usm-556782022-11-16T07:37:40Z http://eprints.usm.my/55678/ A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina T Technology TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery PPE is made of an impermeable material that healthcare workers put on to protect themselves from the transmission of viruses, particularly during pandemics such as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. It can be a significant contributor to heat stress since the insulating effect of the clothing is essential for maintaining thermal comfort. The climate in Malaysia is hot and humid, and the average annual temperature can reach up to 25.4°C. As a result, it will cause heat stress to occur more quickly. The objective was to assess the level of heat stress when wearing PPE in a tropical climate using PSI. Two males participated in this pilot study, in which their body temperature and heart rate were measured while they engaged in activities while wearing PPE. The activities comprised standing, walking on a treadmill at a speed of 0.5 m/s and writing on a computer, walking on a treadmill at a speed of 1.5 m/s, and walking slowly around the court. These activities were included in three different studies; control and intervention in indoor and outdoor working conditions. The participants' maximum body temperature was measured at 37.8°C, their heart rates ranged from 150 to 160 beats per minute, and they experienced moderate level of heat stress while carrying out work of moderate intensity exercises. Future research must analyse the physiological responses when PPE is worn in a tropical climate using a climatic chamber and precise equipment. Universiti Sains Malaysia 2022-07-23 Monograph NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.usm.my/55678/1/A%20Pilot%20Study%20Of%20Heat%20Stress%20Risk%20Evaluation%20While%20Wearing%20Personal%20Protective%20Equipment%20Suit%20In%20A%20Tropical%20Climate_Aini%20Syazwina%20Ahmad%20Khaizi.pdf Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina (2022) A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate. Project Report. Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Mekanikal. (Submitted)
spellingShingle T Technology
TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Ahmad Khaizi, Aini Syazwina
A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate
title A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate
title_full A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate
title_fullStr A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate
title_full_unstemmed A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate
title_short A Pilot Study Of Heat Stress Risk Evaluation While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment Suit In A Tropical Climate
title_sort pilot study of heat stress risk evaluation while wearing personal protective equipment suit in a tropical climate
topic T Technology
TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
url http://eprints.usm.my/55678/
http://eprints.usm.my/55678/1/A%20Pilot%20Study%20Of%20Heat%20Stress%20Risk%20Evaluation%20While%20Wearing%20Personal%20Protective%20Equipment%20Suit%20In%20A%20Tropical%20Climate_Aini%20Syazwina%20Ahmad%20Khaizi.pdf