COVER STORY
NAVIGATING THE SILENT THREATS
As organisations strive to build safer workplaces, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) has become paramount, transcending industries and professions. Complete bodysuits, commonly associated with firefighters, are now worn by many more diverse sectors, acting as a shield and often a lifeline to protect workers from hazardous substances and materials. From the risks inherent in an employee's daily tasks to the tangible benefits of innovative safety equipment, PPE plays a vital role in protecting workers; however, it also presents new challenges that can often be overlooked.
HEAT STRESS, FATIGUE AND
CARDIOVASCULAR STRAIN Consider firefighters, in house fires temperatures can reach up to 815°C at the ceiling, where it’s hottest, and 315°C at eye level. Now consider a worker wearing a hazmat suit whose body temperature can easily reach 38°C before they even begin to move, due to the suit preventing cooling. Such temperatures highlight the sweltering conditions these workers face in their gear. While PPE is a protective barrier, the very products designed to keep workers safe contribute to elevated body temperatures, presenting new challenges of heat stress and fatigue.
Thermoregulation is how our body maintains its internal core temperature. In order for the body to release the excess heat, it utilises four regulatory mechanisms; radiation, convection, conduction and evaporation. This is essential for keeping it healthy and functioning correctly. Wearing PPE impairs the wearer's ability to dissipate the various levels of heat through sweating, as there is limited water vapour permeability across the clothing layers. If the body cannot cool through the evaporation of sweat, the core body temperature (CBT) will continue to rise, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Additionally, the weight of the PPE over time significantly increases the exertion level and workload, exacerbating heat exposure, fatigue and cardiovascular strain. Despite external hazards PPE protects the worker from, research has found that the physiological strain associated with firefighting, specifically cardiovascular strain, poses the greatest threat to their life and health.
MANAGING HEAT STRESS AND FATIGUE According to studies, full-body hazmat suits made of
PVC, that include rubber boots, gloves, full face masks and hard hats, create significant risks of injury due to excessive heat. Addressing the physical impact of PPE on workers and their health involves a delicate balance. Innovations in PPE strive to enhance breathability and heat dissipation without compromising safety. Ventilation
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Smart safety solutions can be the most effective approach to combat the escalating dangers of heat stress and fatigue especially when wearing PPE, explains Bodytrak.
systems, moisture-wicking fabrics, and strategic design modifications are being incorporated to optimise thermal comfort. While the advancements in PPE can help reduce the negative implications, a solution that can continuously monitor physiological responses can provide more accurate insights and enable early intervention to prevent the risk of heat-related illnesses and fatigue.
A holistic approach with traditional PPE and modern wearables can provide the most effective solution for managing these silent threats. Bodytrak is a smart safety solution that provides individualised monitoring, where precise data is captured through a wearable device to prevent incidents related to heat stress and fatigue. Using real-time data, geolocation, and immediate alerts, Bodytrak enables early intervention to safeguard employees. Insights enable organisations to make informed decisions to assess the impact of environmental stress and existing PPE, and implement effective shift scheduling and appropriate inductions for new starters.
PPE that reduces thermal sensation enhances comfort and allows wearers to remain focused and alert in extreme situations over longer periods of time. When people feel uncomfortably hot they are more likely to behave unsafely and their ability to concentrate may be impaired, thereby increasing the risk of errors. Wearing the right PPE and using a physiological monitoring solution that provides real-time data ensures firefighters are protected, by tracking their individual responses to the stressors of the challenging environments and triggering immediate alerts to prevent incidents before they happen.
Wearing equipment that delays the increase in CBT during heat exposure reduces the risk of heat-related illness. If the sweat output is not matched by fluid intake it can lead to dehydration that negatively affects cognitive and physical performance. Research shows that body water loss greater than 2% of the body mass impairs cognitive performance such as attention, executive function, and motor coordination.
PPE forms a shield of protection for workers in hazardous conditions across various industries. While the challenges of heat stress and its impact on health are undeniable, ongoing efforts in research, innovation, and training are shaping the future of PPE. Wearable solutions provide another level of protection to mitigate risks, while providing location positioning data for those who require support. Heat stress and fatigue, brought on by the PPE designed to protect those wearing them, no longer need to be a silent threat. Innovations and technology are paving the way to protect the people defending us.
https://bodytrak.co www.tomorrowshs.com
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