The effect of mild whole-body cold stress on isometric force control during hand grip and key pinch tasks.

Prolonged exposure to cold can impair manual performance, which in turn can affect work task performance. We investigated whether mild whole-body cold stress would affect isometric force control during submaximal hand grip and key pinch tasks. Twelve male participants performed isometric hand grip and key pinch tasks at 10% and 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for 30 and 10 s respectively, in cold (8 °C) and control (25 °C) conditions.

Metabolic rate and muscle activation level when wearing state-of-the-art cold-weather protective clothing during level and inclined walking.

Use of cold-weather personal protective clothing (PPC) in cold climates is essential but can add metabolic cost to the wearer. This study measured the effect of wearing state-of-the-art PPC and personal protective equipment (PPE), with the possible effect of clothing layers and fit, on physiological responses including metabolic rate (MR) and muscle activation level. 19 male participants (80.

Physiological and perceptual strain of firefighters during graded exercise to exhaustion at 40 and 10 °C.

. To study whether perceptual identification should be included as a measure to evaluate physiological stress. .

Thermophysiological responses and work strain in fishermen on deep-sea fishing vessels.

Background: Fishermen working on deep-sea vessels in the Barents and Norwegian Sea are exposed to low air temperatures, strong winds, high humidity, rain, snow and work at different intensities. Few studies have investigated the effect of environmental work factors on the physiology of this occupational group. The aim of the study was to investigate work strain and thermophysiological responses of fishermen on the trawl and factory decks of deep-sea vessels.

Effect of ambient temperature on female endurance performance.

Ambient temperature can affect physical performance, and an ambient temperature range of -4 °C to 11 °C is optimal for endurance performance in male athletes. The few similar studies of female athletes appear to have found differences in response to cold between the genders. This study investigated whether ambient temperature affects female endurance performance.

Performance on a work-simulating firefighter test versus approved laboratory tests for firefighters and applicants.

Aim: Firefighters must meet minimum physical demands. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (NLIA) has approved a standardised treadmill walking test and 3 simple strength tests for smoke divers. The results of the Trondheim test were compared with those of the NLIA tests taking into account possible effects of age, experience level and gender.

Initial heat stress on subsequent responses to cold water immersion while wearing protective clothing.

Introduction: In cold water emergency situations, helicopter aircrew will enter the water with a raised body temperature due to wearing immersion suits. Prewarming has been demonstrated to accelerate core cooling during subsequent cold water immersion (CWI) when wearing swimsuits. For this study we hypothesized that wearing an immersion suit would slow the rate of cooling in subjects who were prewarmed compared to those kept in a normothermic state.

Design for end-user acceptance: requirements for work clothing for fishermen in Mediterranean and northern fishing grounds.

Fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations, and as many as 24,000 fishermen around the world suffer fatal injuries or drowning at sea every year. Although fishermen in the European fishing fleet work in harsh and dangerous environments, many fishermen do not use personal protective clothing and buoyancy aids due to reduced work comfort and poor functionality. This emphasizes the importance of designing work clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) with functionality that matches the fishermen's needs.

Effect of cold conditions on manual performance while wearing petroleum industry protective clothing.

The purpose of this study was to investigate manual performance and thermal responses during low work intensity in persons wearing standard protective clothing in the petroleum industry when they were exposed to a range of temperatures (5, -5, -15 and -25℃) that are relevant to environmental conditions for petroleum industry personnel in northern regions. Twelve men participated in the study. Protective clothing was adjusted for the given cold exposure according to current practices.

Offshore fleet workers and the circadian adaptation of core body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate to 12-h shifts: a field study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the circadian adaptation of tcr (core body temperature), BP (blood pressure), HR (heart rate) and subjective sleep quality after 7 days of working 12-h night shifts in offshore fleet workers.

Methods: Night workers (N = 7) (18:00-6:00) and day workers (N = 7) (6:00-18:00) were recruited from a Norwegian offshore company operating in the North Sea. We measured t(cr), BP and HR on days 1 and 7.

Optimizing the performance of phase-change materials in personal protective clothing systems.

Phase-change materials (PCM) can be used to reduce thermal stress and improve thermal comfort for workers wearing protective clothing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of PCM in protective clothing used in simulated work situations. We hypothesized that it would be possible to optimize cooling performance with a design that focuses on careful positioning of PCM, minimizing total insulation and facilitating moisture transport.

Safer work clothing for fishermen.

The fisherman's work environment consists of many potential risks. A study of occupational accidents in the Norwegian fishing industry in the nine-year period from 1998 to 2006 shows that more than 3/4 of the deaths were caused by loss of fishing vessel or man-overboard accidents. Furthermore, the greatest risk of drowning is found in the smallest fleet.

Effects of wearing aircrew protective clothing on physiological and cognitive responses under various ambient conditions.

Heat stress can be a significant problem for pilots wearing protective clothing during flights, because they provide extra insulation which prevents evaporative heat loss. Heat stress can influence human cognitive activity, which might be critical in the flying situation, requiring efficient and error-free performance. This study investigated the effect of wearing protective clothing under various ambient conditions on physiological and cognitive performance.