Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Objective 1: Examine acceptance and barriers to acceptance of PPE products and protective clothing, including hand, foot, and headwear: A. foundation anthropometric and ergonomic research B. user acceptance and barriers to acceptance in domain areas of fire protection, chemical protection and medical environments.

UMES is collaborating with Washington State University and the University of Maribor in Slovenia to conduct a study to measure the thermo-physiological comfort of PPE. A baseline study has been conducted using garments representative of those worn by operators in the US. Testing included a questionnaire completed by the test subject. Future plans include evaluation of single and double layer garments required in the US.

CO surveyed 328 firefighters on perceived evaluation of the Class B work uniform within the context of occupational safety and public misidentification.

NY-Buffalo in collaboration with CO, NY and HI, conducted research and designed PCM coated gloves for firefighters. Currently in prototype stage. 

NY-Buffalo with NY and HI, continued their collaboration with Chinese Culture University on the use of Phase Change Materials. The data is being explored and processed in initial research. Samples of PCM coated materials will be used in the next phase of the project, developing hood and gloves for fire fighters.

NY-Buffalo in collaboration with HI, created design procedure and questionnaire to explore the needs of personal PPE and collect design needs for flame resistant textiles for lay people.

MN assessed the utility of tactile display for communicating dynamic sensor information in a pervasive, low-load manner, useful for medical information (e.g. insulin levels) as well as chemical protection (e.g. ambient contaminant levels). A user study with Type 1 Diabetics and a laboratory study of a tactile display prototype were conducted.  

Objective 2: Assess and improve protection and human factor performance of PPE and protective clothing (including hand, foot, and headwear) through research and product development: A. assessment of HF variables in protective clothing. B. design research and development in domain areas of fire protection, chemical protection, and medical environments. 

NY-Cornell completed analysis of field studies for three coverall styles. In contrast to findings from a fit test of two of the styles a style from the market (now no longer being produced) was preferred over the Cornell prototype. The Cornell prototype was perceived as being difficult to don, and not a protective as the material was lighter and subject to tears through snagging.

NY-Cornell designed and tested a disposable hood for protection of Ebola workers that incorporates a visor and a disposable facemask for ease of donning and doffing without self-contamination. Besides ease of don/doff, this design provides full protection from fluids or vapor droplets, good vision, lack of fogging (as the exhalation valve of the facemask is mounted outside the hood), and ease of eye contact and expression in moderating patient-worker interactions.

NY-Cornell A three armhole style of gown along with high pants with suspenders and a flange to cover the top of the boot were designed for protection of Ebola workers.  This outfit is highly protective against fluids or vapor droplets, easy to doff without contamination, and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and provides a familiar garment silhouette modeled on a surgeon’s robe.

NY-Cornell tested materials and methods for developing half scale active body forms for design and testing of active wear. Forms were developed from scans of cyclists in an active position in three positions and four sizes, using two methods – stacked foam covered with a knit cover, and 3D printed. These forms show promise as a fit testing tool that could be used to validate the whole range of sizes. Pressure sensors were used to validate the fit tests on the half scale forms.

NY-Cornell developed and incorporated two new unique closure systems that enable quick and non-contaminated doffing into Ebola-protective clothing that enables quick and non-contaminated doffing. A unique mini-cooling system was developed and incorporated into Ebola-protective clothing. Thermal manikin tests show ~10% reduction of thermal resistance and moisture condensation, indicating potential cooling effect. Further improvement in cooling power and optimization of cooling unit is needed.

IA performed multi-level evaluation approaches to determine the comfort and strain in CPC, to relate the characterized fabric and garment properties to the physiological responses from human wear trials.

MN collaborated with the University of Alabama to conduct a human trial evaluating the use of MN’s coverstitched sensor to measure and monitor breathing in wearable sensing applications.

OSU identified comfort Issues with Police Duty Gear in the Work Environment. The purpose of this project is to design and evaluate clothing and duty belt that officers wear and also to identify potential sources of back problems that officers report. Through shadowing of police officers on duty we collected data about typical activities and comfort issues that arise during long hours in the patrol vehicle. It is hypothesized that a new seat design and orientation of items on the duty belt will result in improved posture and satisfaction with their environment. Evaluation of the car space for easy access to the computer screen, other controls and gear evaluation has been initiated recently by conducting laboratory simulations. Data collection is ongoing.

OSU developed a garment integrated with microelectromechanical system (MEMS) wireless sensor technology that continuously and noninvasively acquires hemodynamic signals to track cardiorespiratory dynamics in order to quantitatively assess health status for short- and long-term prognoses.

CO conducted an experimental study with 43 structural firefighters to measure the adverse impact of firefighter PPE on job performance and decision making.

CO performed anthropometric fit analyses of the conventional hospital patient gown with 93 adult samples. Three-dimensional body scan data offered gender-specific fit differences in various dynamic positions as well as in a static position.  

Objective 3: Develop research-based performance guidelines and standards for personal protective equipment and protective clothing: A. establish performance guidelines and/or standards for domain areas of fire protective footwear and glove protection for pesticide handlers B. establish sizing and fit guidelines for fire protective equipment.

UMES revised ISO/EN DIS 27065 based on comments and submitted to ISO for preparation of the 3rd DIS ballot. Enquiry (DIS) ballot is expected to open for ballot in fall 2016.

UMES coordinated with BASF on Challenge Chemical – An issue with challenge chemical consistency and availability was impacting standards development discussions. Coordination with BASF resulted in providing a short term (2 years) solution for challenge chemical to ensure consistency and availability for testing. Prowl® 3.3 EC was shipped by BASF to all laboratories that require the test chemical. A sufficient quantity has been set aside for lab testing for the next two years.

UMES initiated a study to address variability due to test subject height and nozzle type in ISO 17491-4, Protective clothing — Test methods for clothing providing protection against chemicals — Part 4: Determination of resistance to penetration by a spray of liquid (spray test). ISO 17491-4 is a test that is part of ISO 27065.

UMES submitted ISO/CD 19918 - Protection against liquid chemicals — Measurement of cumulative permeation of chemicals with low vapour pressure and solubility in liquid/gaseous collector medium through protective clothing and glove materials to ISO for preparation of the DIS ballot. Enquiry (DIS) ballot is scheduled to open on August 16, 2016 and close on November 8, 2016. 

UMES used permeation interlaboratory study data to develop the repeatability and reliability of the proposed standard. This information was included as an annex in the draft that was submitted for DIS ballot.  

UMES moved the standard ISO/CD 18889 (Protective gloves for pesticide operators — Performance requirements is being balloted to establish minimum performance, classification, and labeling requirements for gloves worn by operators handling pesticide products)  from ISO WG3 for chemical protection to ISO WG8 on gloves. The draft is scheduled to be discussed at the WG8 meeting to be held in fall 2016. The deadline for submission for DIS ballot has been extended to July 2017.

HI developed user data on the needs of firefighter’s PPE from focus group interviews that will inform future work on effective designs and develop new frame retardant and cooling products.  User data on the needs of lay people’s PPE from incident fire events, high risk burning activates and focus group interviews will inform future work on effective designs. User data from pesticide applicator questionnaires will inform PPE selection for use in the development of performance guidelines and standards.

MN conducted a sizing and fit analysis assessing the amount of variability in rib position within each ASTM size for different hypothetical garment sizing schemes. Results show a variability between 50 and 174mm for torso length within a given size, which has significant implications for sensor placement (i.e. for ECG monitoring) in ready-to-wear sensing garments.

NY-Cornell Analysis of data from a fit test of gloves conducted with 33 firefighters validates the use of fit perception responses from the study participants and merged 3D scans of the hand and the gloved hand. This method shows promise for analyzing the fit of protective garments made with legacy patterns that may have never been effectively tested, or that no longer reflect current anthropometrics of the population.

NY-Cornell conducted A series of human performance tests were conducted with fourteen healthy firefighters (11 males; 3 females) to identify 1) the impact of wearing the same size air tank and 2) the impact of boot height on firefighters’ lower body mobility. The participants were each 3D scanned while performing hyperextension of the neck and trunk forward flexion while wearing the given fireboots, helmet, and air tank. To investigate the impact of boot height on firefighters’ mobility, the participants’ range of motion (ROM) at the hip, knee, and ankle were analyzed using a 3D motion capture system, while they performed duck-walking (6 steps) and ladder climbing (4 steps ascending and 4 steps descending). The leather test boots were classified based on their height into Low (25.4cm), Medium (30.48cm) and High (35.56cm). The findings show that an increase in boot height limits shorter firefighters’ knee motion and wearing airpack significantly restricts firefighters’ bending and hyperextension of the head. The findings of this study imply that shorter firefighters may have greater negative impacts from wearing a fixed-size air tank and taller boots in selected job-related motions.

NY-Cornell conducted human performance tests with 15 male participants to investigate impact of modes of load carriage while wearing work boots. No load was set as the baseline. The other two weight levels were determined by the size of the industrial hand tools, which were 6.4kg (about 9% body weight) and12.8kg (about 18% body weight), respectively. Four possible carrying modes were designed to investigate the impact of different carrying methods, including all on the left shoulder, all on the right shoulder, split evenly between the left and right shoulder, and split evenly between the left shoulder and right hand. The findings of this study shows that as the load magnitudes increased, ROM for hip flexion/extension and ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion significantly increased. Higher hip abduction/adduction, hip rotation, ankle inversion/eversion, and ankle rotation were also detected when carrying loads. A greater hip and ankle flexion/extension indicated that the participants needed to lift the leg higher to complete the toe clearance off the walking surface when wearing work boots. The lower ROM at the ball of the foot in the sagittal plane showed restricted mobility from inflexible and heavy work boots. Work boots also increased the vertical excursion of the center of body mass, which may disturb body balance and is likely to induce falling. The findings of this study suggest that low-profile shoe outsoles and the use of flexible materials may provide better body balance.

Objective 4: Develop novel functionality in materials for PPE: A. Research on novel environmentally friendly materials and technologies that can provide biological protective functions. B. Research on novel personal use and field deployable sensing techniques. C. Evaluation of the performance of the materials for personal protective applications.

MN developed a technique to measure the contact between a garment and the body during movement, using an electrical contact approach. This method can be used to evaluate garments that require skin contact like body sensors and liquid cooling garments. The technique allows the researcher to evaluate body contact of a garment or garment area while the subject is moving.  

CA has developed novel technologies to prepare rechargeable biocidal films for food containers and packaging materials that can provide surface self-disinfecting functions.

CA has developed ELISA nanofiber membrane sensors for detecting ultra-low levels of chemicals in foods and also colorimetric fumigant sensors for protection of farm workers.

CA has investigated ten most significant attributes which are necessary in fulfilling the basic functions of clothing, reveal why our clothing has served us so well for so long and hence the challenges facing the wearable technology.

CA has investigated and designed a smart compression stocking using shape-memory polymer that allows externally controlling the pressure level in the wrapped position on the leg.

CO examined a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber mat decorated with α-Fe2O3 as an adsorbent for effective removal of Pb2+ from contaminated water.

CO characterized the performance of persimmon dye using color strength and appearance analysis (ColorQuest), American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists colorfastness tests, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

CO characterized Polydiacetylene (PDA) as an attractive conjugated material for use in biosensors.

CO conducted an experiment to study the causes of inertness by studying the interactions with calcite of a nanoparticle synthesized from malic acid and ethanolamine (M-dots) dispersed in brine (NaCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2) solutions.

KS developed highly repellent, self-cleaning nonwovens, and explored a characterization method to analyze the wetted surface area, which will give an insight on design strategy for repellent surfaces. As the next phase of research, the developed process has been applied to different polymeric materials. In the next couple of years, applications of super-repellent materials will be pursued including air filtration and anti-biofouling surface.

KS performed an assessment method to measure environmental impacts made by the reduced laundering of self-cleaning fabrics was tested. This type of experiments will be further developed as educational tools for sustainability topics, so that students can experiment the sustainability concept and learn to interpret the phenomena (and data) in association with health and environmental impacts.

NY-Cornell developed a new polymeric system capable of capturing organic pollutants not only from air but also from water. The system is based on cyclodextrins that are grown from cellulosic fibers and can be use as potential for inner layers or underwear for first responders. Cyclodextrin molecules are approved by USDA and FDA.  We continue working on attaching these molecules to other synthetic fibers via plasma modifications of aramids such as existing fire-resistant fibers.

NY-Cornell assessed the scale-ability and comfort of POM-treated substrates in simulated end-use conditions. The POM-immobilized 55/45 cotton/polyester and 100% cotton substrates were scaled up and prototypes of protective coveralls were constructed using these materials and tested on the sweating fabric manikin-Walter™. The scaled materials were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, mechanical strength, and water vapor permeability.  The thermal insulation and evaporative resistance properties measured by the sweating manikin were compared to scaled non-POM treated analogous coveralls. Results indicate that the POM functionalization of the substrates had no significant impact on the thermal insulation and minimal impact on evaporative resistance.  This work contributes to the use of novel fiber morphologies in breathable chemical protective apparel to achieve better CWA and pesticide decontamination, protection, comfort, and durability.   

WA has developed cellulose nanofiber reinforced nylon fibers via compounding and melt spinning techniques. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, universal material tester, and contact angle tester were used to characterize the morphology, physical and mechanical properties, as well as thermal properties of the nanocomposite fibers.