Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Anthropometric study of firefighter hands, feet and the female body: UMN, Cornell, U-Oregon, Iowa State, Colorado, SUNY-Buff, Hawaii, Missouri, Florida State, Kansas State, Washington-St. Louis, OSU

Twelve collaborators in the United States have been identified to participate in the SizeFF (Size Fire Fighter) anthropometric study, including two locations in the northeast, one in the south, six in the central states, two in the west, and one in Hawaii; a collaborator has also been recruited in Europe (Portugal) to collect comparative data.

The Structure handheld 3D scanner that makes this study possible is more effective if there are architectural elements in the environment, and if there are ways to stabilize and standardize the body. Therefore, standing blocks, frames for stabilizing the hands and feet for scans, and bases for poles to stabilize the arms were designed, tested, and produced and shipped to each of the study sites. Standardized physical body landmarks were also tested and produced for the study.

A research relationship with Mirage 3D, an app that improves the speed, communication and storage options of the scans taken with the Structure scanner, was formalized.

UMN and Cornell developed procedure and “best practice” scanning documents to ensure reliable and repeatable procedures for Size FF anthropometric survey.Video tutorials for standardized hand, foot, and body scanning process were created by UMN and Cornell, and shared with other participating states for data collection at iWomen conference (organized by International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Services) in May 2018.

UMN, Cornell, Oregon, Missouri, Iowa, and Colorado successfully scanned 56 female firefighters’s hands and feet at the iWomen conference. We are currently analyzing the data.

Development of procedure to study the Dynamic Hand: UMN, U-Oregon

Gloves are critical personal protective equipment to perform tasks in industries such as medicine, construction, and firefighting. To ensure wearer safety, comfort, and hand function, glove design requires detailed ergonomic and anthropometric analysis of the hand in motion. UMN and U-Oregon noted the absence of a 3D hand anthropometric database, and aimed to pilot test a methodology for the creation of one that included dynamic hand positions and more comprehensive anthropometric measurements. Three hand positions were scanned and 17 dimensions were analyzed for 30 subjects. Results indicate significant measurement change for both dorsal and palmar side measurements across the three hand positions, as well as significant gender differences. The results from this study will inform the creation of a national anthropometric hand survey to inform evidence-based, user-centered, ergonomic glove design. This method has also been adapted for the Size FF protocol.

Hand Proportion and common hand-product design practice: U-Oregon, UMN

U-Oregon and UMN collaborated on a study that examined common hand-product design practices.  They collected and analyzed hand scan data and compared common hand drawing proportions to hands, concluding that there are major design implications for gloves development when mis-proportioned design practices are implemented.

Hospital Gown Re-design: UMN

Conducted focus group and co-design workshops with former patients at Mayo Clinic to aid in the re-design of hospital/examination garments

Design of woven garments for active body positions: Cornell

Pattern development continues of pants for golfers to optimize the fit in the active position, with acceptable fit in the standing position. Alternate seam placements and materials are under development. The fit is being optimized to the fit model of our industry partner, using half scale forms in active and standing positions produced from 3D body scans.

Anthropometric study of surgeon’s hands: Cornell

A study using the hand-held Structure 3D scanner is underway to study anthropometrics of surgeon’s hands, and the fit of surgical gloves. Focus group meetings are being held to discover the important issues in glove size and fit. Scans will be taken of 30 surgeon’s hands.

Use of custom half scale dress forms in apparel design: Cornell

Work continues on the design and use of custom half scale dress forms made from a user’s 3D body scan in apparel patternmaking. Forms were produced for six undergraduate student’s models for their creative designs, and for clients of three professional technical designers from theatrical costume shops. Findings indicate that students who are beginning patternmakers are sometimes more successful in creating well-fitting patterns than the professional patternmakers who struggle with preconceptions about amounts of ease to add to patterns, and who can be distrustful of the effectiveness of scaling a pattern created on the custom half scale form.

Focus group interview with pesticide applicators: Cornell

To identify areas of design improvement, focus group interview was conducted with both greenhouse pesticide applicators and farm workers from upstate New York.

Greenhouse pesticide applicators: four males (38.8 ±5.4 years old, work experience 14.5 ±1.1years, 23.9 BMI) and 4 females (age: 44 ±5.6 years; work experience 24.3±4.0 years, 33 BMI). Greenhouse pesticide applicators participated in the study. Participants wore their respective PPG to demonstrate common working positions and highlight size, fit, mobility, donning, doffing issues and stress areas. Photo and video documentation further supplemented the questionnaire and interview data.

Farm workers: Four males (age: 40.5 ± 9.7 years); work experience 14.5 ± 7.8 years, 29.6 BMI) and 4 females (age: 30.5 ± 0.5 years; work experience 4.2 ± 2.6 years, 25 BMI) farm workers applying pesticides participated in the study. Based on identified gender specific fit and size issues, need for enhanced protection in the interface, non-contaminated doffing, and improved thermal comfort, new prototypes are being developed.

Development of new protective coverall for pesticide applicators: Cornell

A series of sweating thermal manikin tests and human subject tests were conducted to 1) identify level of heat stress while wearing chemical protective coverall and 2) evaluate effectiveness of commercially available cooling garments that can be worn underneath the coverall. Based on the findings from sweating thermal manikin tests, currently conductive cooling device (based on peltier cooling mechanism) is being optimized to be used together with coveralls to effectively alleviate heat stress.

Other Accomplishment Summaries for Objectives 1 & 2:  HI, SUNY-Buff, CO

• HI and Buffalo will collaborate a project improve technology to monitor firefighters’ health in fire situations and could also be used to pinpoint the location of a firefighter in distress for quick rescue.
• CO conducted a cross-cultural survey study between U.S. and Chinese firefighters to compare mobility and perceived occupational risks associated with wearing PPE.
• CO conducted a fit and comfort assessment of body armor with police officers.
• CO evaluated the effectiveness of prototyped medical PPE vs. current state-of-the-art medical PPE based on critical biofeedback.

Maintenance of PPE products and Protective clothing: UMES

In the United States, long-sleeved shirt and long pants are required for application of the majority of the pesticide products. When added protection is required, coveralls  (considered PPE), are worn over shirt and pants. Laundering studies were conducted by NC-170 in the 80’s and early 90’s. Since then limited research has been conducted on this topic. During that same time, there have been significant changes in the composition of detergents (phosphate-based detergents are no longer used), washing machines and wash conditions. Limited information is available on a) whether the residue levels remaining in the garment after washing are of concern, and b) recommended washing procedures for reusable garments. UMES is collaborating with institutions and other entities in France and Brazil to conduct decontamination/laundering studies. Preliminary tests to contaminate the test specimens by spraying and to simulate transfer from washed fabric as a result of rubbing were conducted. Protocol for studies to be conducted next year is being developed.

Develop/revise and implement research-based performance guidelines and standards for items and systems of personal protective equipment and protective clothing: UMES

Two international standards balloted last year were approved and published as ISO/EN standards. The third standard passed as Draft Information Standard (DIS). All three standards are based on international collaborative research with UMES as the lead institution. As Project Leader, A. Shaw worked with ISO Working Groups to revise the drafts based on comments provided by member countries.  

• ISO 27065:2017 was published in September 2017 and the EN harmonized standard was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in April 2018. New work item to amend the standard was initiated after the annual meeting held in Atlanta. The amendment includes replacement of the commercial pesticide with a dye test surrogate.
• EN/ISO 19918 was published in September 2017. This test standard is referenced in the performance standards for protective clothing and gloves.
• DIS ballot for EN/ISO 18889 (performance standard for chemical resistant gloves), passed in October 2017. Comments from member countries were addressed at the Working Group meeting in February 2018. At the meeting the decision was also made to expand the scope to include gloves for re-entry workers. Testing required to support proposed revisions was conducted in collaboration with IAC in March 2018. The results of the study were presented at the ISO meeting in April. The ISO FDIS ballot with revised scope will be submitted in September; the EN ballot with revised scope did not pass.

Given below are the highlights of collaborative research conducted to support standards development/revision.

• Development of surrogate test chemical: During the revision of 27065 as an EN/ISO standard, it was recognized that a surrogate had to be developed for the 27065 ISO/EN revision to proceed. The requirements for the surrogate were:
  • Non-proprietary commercial formulation representative of a worst-case scenario for penetration and permeation testing
  • Chemicals in the mixture to meet the REACH regulations with relatively simple chemical analysis
  • Easy to ship internationally; no restrictions for import

Development of the surrogate required expertise and resources not available through the ISO committee. Therefore, assistance from BASF in Germany was requested. UMES worked closely with BASF and Instituto Agronomico in Brazil to develop and validate the surrogate. Inter-laboratory permeation tests are being conducted to determine repeatability and reproducibility. Initial inter-laboratory test results showed variability that has to be addressed. UMES is working very closely with the laboratories, BASF and company that will be manufacturing the surrogate to resolve the issues. The second inter-laboratory study is scheduled to be completed by September 15.

• Revision of ISO 17491-4, Protective clothing — Test methods for clothing providing protection against chemicals — Part 4. UMES is working closely with the two laboratories in Japan and Brazil that are testing certified garments to compare penetration through the garments with the existing nozzle and proposed flat fan nozzle. The proposed change in nozzle is to obtain a more uniform spray pattern for whole garment testing.

Objective 4: Develop novel functionality and applications of materials for PPE and health/safety solutions: CO,WA, CA-Davis

• CA continued development of rechargeable halamine and photo-active biocidal films, nonwoven fabrics, nanofibrous membranes and hydrogel beads for various applications including food containers and packaging materials that can provide surface self-disinfecting functions;
• CA has developed colorimetric fumigant sensors of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) and chloropicrin for protection of farm workers and local residents.
• WA developed a flexible sensor for continuous human vital sign measurement. The sensor can be modified for sensing chemicals.
• CO produced PLGA nanoparticles that included antibiotics in the core for potential drug delivery system.