CLOTHING FOR FIRE PROTECTION AND THEIR EVALUATION

U ekstremnim radnim uvjetima, gdje su radnici različitog profila (vatrogasci, radnici na palubama nosača zrakoplova, radnici u kotlovnicama, spasioci, vojnici, itd.) izloženi nastanku i pojavi vatre, od osnovnog značaja su zaštitni odjevni sustavi koji utječu na zaštitu korisnika, učinkovitost tijekom rada i udobnost. Važno je poznavati da li i u kolikoj mjeri se sa zaštitnim odjevnim sustavima štiti korisnik od djelovanja zdravlju štetnim utjecajima i kako takvi sustavi utječu na njegovo zdravlje zbog (ne)udobnosti tijekom rada. U ovom radu prikazan je odjevni sustav za zaštitu od požara koji je vrednovan pomoću požarne lutke (engl. thermo man) sa simulacijom eksplozivne vatre. Analize takvih testiranja obuhvaćaju vrednovanje stupnja opeklina te mogućnost, da korisnik preživi ili ne, kod upotrebe dviju različitih kombinacija zaštitnih odjevnih sustava koji se upotrebljavaju na palubama vojnih brodova Kraljevske mornarice Velike Britanije. Spomenuti odjevni sustavi namijenjeni su za rad na palubama za uzlijetanje, kao i za općenitu uporabu, i predstavljaju određenu mjeru zaštite od požara i povećavaju mogućnost micanja iz požarnog područja. Odjevni sustavi se međusobno razlikuju po vanjskom gornjem sloju, zapaljivom odijelu FWC (engl. foul weather clothing) i nezapaljivom odijelu Perfectos FWC, odnosno po njegovoj nezapaljivosti, paropropusnosti, udobnosti i utjecaju na kretanje prilikom nošenja. Oba odjevna sustava tijekom testiranja bila su izložena vatri određeno vrijeme i to 4, 6 ili 8 sekundi. Iz prikazanih rezultata utvrđeno je da je zapaljivo odijelo FWC primjereno za uporabu na palubama za uzlijetanje zrakoplova, jer je zaštita pri izloženosti plamenu za vrijeme 6 sekundi jednaka zaštiti nezapaljivog odijela Perfectos FWC.In extreme work conditions where workers are exposed to fire (firemen, workers at aircraft-carrying ships, workers in boiler rooms, rescuers, military troupes, etc.) protective clothing is of singular importance in ensuring user protection, comfort and work efficacy. It is important to know how much protective clothing in fact protects users from harmful environments and how they affect user\u27s health and comfort in the course of work. The paper discusses the fire-fighter’s clothing evaluated by means of a thermo man in the situation of simulated explosive fire. Tests such as this one have given some indication of the possible degree of burns and of user survival when using two different combinations of protective clothing used on navy ships of the Royal Navy in Great Britain. These clothes are intended for work at take-off strips on ships and for general use. They provide certain protection from fire and increase the chance of removal from fire-affected zones. The clothes differ in the outer flammable layer of the FWC (foul weather clothing) and non-flammable Perfectos FWC, i.e. in their resistance to fire, degree of ventilation, comfort and effect on movement while worn. Both types of clothing were exposed to fire in the tests for a duration of 4, 6 and 8 seconds. The results show that the flammable FWC was suitable for use at take-off strips on ships, as the protection in exposure to flame for 6 seconds is equal to the protection provided by the non-flammable clothes Perfectos FWC

THE CONTEMPORARY CONCEPT IN TESTING FLAME RETARDANT CLOTHING

Zahtjevi na osobnu zaštitnu opremu ovise o radnim aktivnostima i obvezama koje se izvode na radnim mjestima. S obzirom na zahtjeve radnih mjesta, postavljene su norme (EN 369) prema kojima bi se protupožarna zaštitna oprema trebala izrađivati i koje bi takva odjeća trebala zadovoljavati. Primjenom i poštovanjem normi na tržištu, odnosno kod konačnog korisnika trebala bi se pojavljivati samo certificirana protupožarna zaštitna oprema, ali tome uvijek nije tako. Danas se na tržištu može naći protupožarna zaštitna oprema niže kvalitete ili se serijski izrađena ne podudara sa svojstvima prototipne protupožarne zaštitne opreme potvrđene za nabavu od nacionalnih institucija. Tijekom razvoja protupožarne zaštitne opreme najviše se testova izvede na samim tekstilnim materijalima koji su osnovni ugradbeni elementi odjevnih predmeta koji su prilagođeni 3D ljudskom obliku tijela. No, tkaninu kao dvodimenzionalnu plošnu tvorevinu tijekom prerade u odjevne predmete koji imaju 3D oblik potrebno je iskrojiti i ponovno spojiti šivanjem, pri čemu se mijenjaju karakteristike svih ugrađenih materijala. Odjeća i ugrađeni tekstilni materijali tijekom nošenja i u postupcima održavanja dodatno mijenjaju svoja svojstva. Kako bi se sa sigurnošću moglo utvrditi da zaštitno odijelo ima određena svojstva zaštite od topline i plamena, preporučljivo je izvoditi testiranja pomoću požarne lutke na kojoj se testiraju cjelokupni zaštitni odjevni sustavi. U radu su prikazana istraživanja provedena na različitim tipovima zaštitnih odijela, kod kojih zahtjevi zaštite ovise o tipu radnog mjesta. Testirana su četiri tipa odjevnih sustava za zaštitu od topline i plamena: jednoslojno odijelo za gašenje šumskih požara (tvrtke Odjeća d.o.o., Hrvatska), jednoslojno odijelo (kombinezon) za rad na palubama nosača zrakoplova i jednoslojno odijelo za rad u kotlovnicama (Kraljevska mornarica Velike Britanije) te višeslojno odijelo za gašenje požara u zgradama (Lenzing, Austrija). Analize testiranja usmjerene su na ispitivanje vanjskog sloja odjeće koji se razlikuje po obliku kroja i konstrukciji, te stupnju zaštite od topline i plamena. Provedene analize obuhvaćaju vrednovanje stupnja opeklina te daju mogućnost procjene da korisnik preživi izloženost djelovanju topline i plamena. U radu su napravljene usporedbe stupnjeva zaštite različitih odjevnih predmeta prema njihovoj namjeni.Level and type of personal protection is in direct correlation to job-specific activities and duties performed at different workplaces. Consequently, norms (EN 369) have been set to govern the manufacture of flame retardant clothing. End users should comply with the norms for certified protective flame retardant clothing but this is not always the case. Available on today’s markets is lower quality of flame retardant clothing, serially manufactured, but of quality not suitable to meet the standards of prototypes approved for procurement by national institutions. In the course of development of flame retardant clothing, most tests are carried out on the textiles used for manufacturing of the clothing, cut and adapted to fit 3D human shape. However, as textiles are two-dimensional, once they are made to fit the 3D body shape by cutting and sewing the parts together, the characteristics of all used materials change. The properties of the clothing and the textiles from which it is made additionally change by wear and maintenance. To determine with a degree of certainty that protective clothing in effect has the required characteristics, i.e. that it protects from heat and flame, it is recommended that testing be carried out using a test dummy. The paper presents testing of different types of protective clothing suitable for use in different workplaces. Four types of heat and flame retardant clothing have been tested: a single-layer suit worn by men fighting forest fires (manufactured by Odjeća d.o.o. Croatia), a single-layer suit (overall type) suitable for work on aircraft carriers, a single-layer suit for work in boiler rooms (British Royal Navy) and multi-layer suit worn for protection while fighting fires in buildings (Lenzing, Austria). The testing procedures focused on the external layers of the clothing of varying cuts and structures, and on the degree of protection from heat and flame. The analyses include evaluation of the seriousness of burns sustained and the estimated probability of survival for users exposed to heat and flame. The paper compares the degrees of protection provided by different clothing items in accordance with their purpose

The effect of hot days on occupational heat stress in the manufacturing industry: implications for workers' well-being and productivity

Climate change is expected to exacerbate heat stress at the workplace in temperate regions, such as Slovenia. It is therefore of paramount importance to study present and future summer heat conditions and analyze the impact of heat on workers. A set of climate indices based on summer mean (Tmean) and maximum (Tmax) air temperatures, such as the number of hot days (HD: Tmax above 30 °C), and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) were used to account for heat conditions in Slovenia at six locations in the period 1981–2010. Observed trends (1961–2011) of Tmean and Tmax in July were positive, being larger in the eastern part of the country. Climate change projections showed an increase up to 4.5 °C for mean temperature and 35 days for HD by the end of the twenty-first century under the high emission scenario. The increase in WBGT was smaller, although sufficiently high to increase the frequency of days with a high risk of heat stress up to an average of a third of the summer days. A case study performed at a Slovenian automobile parts manufacturing plant revealed non-optimal working conditions during summer 2016 (WBGT mainly between 20 and 25 °C). A survey conducted on 400 workers revealed that 96% perceived the temperature conditions as unsuitable, and 56% experienced headaches and fatigue. Given these conditions and climate change projections, the escalating problem of heat is worrisome. The European Commission initiated a program of research within the Horizon 2020 program to develop a heat warning system for European workers and employers, which will incorporate case-specific solutions to mitigate heat stress.The work was supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Action (Project number 668786: HEATSHIELD)

The Effect of Bed Rest and Hypoxic Environment on Postural Balance and Trunk Automatic (Re)Actions in Young Healthy Males

Prolonged inactivity, such as bed rest induces several detrimental changes within a short timeframe. Impaired postural balance and responses of trunk muscles to (un)expected perturbations were both shown to be impaired after bed rest. Certain populations (e.g., astronauts) are exposed to hypoxic environment in addition to inactivity, similar to bed rest. While the isolated negative effects of hypoxia on postural balance have been observed before, no study to date has examined the combined effects of hypoxia and bed rest on postural balance or trunk muscle responses. In this study, we examined the effects of 21-day exposure to three conditions: (i) bed rest in hypoxic environment (HBR), (ii) bed rest in normoxic environment (NBR), and (iii) ambulatory hypoxic environment (HAMB). Fourteen healthy male subjects crossed over between conditions in a randomized order, with a 4-month break between conditions to ensure full recovery. Most body sway parameters indicated a similar deterioration of postural balance following both HBR and NBR. Similarly, both anticipatory and reactive responses of the trunk muscles (m. erector spinae and m. multifidus) were impaired after HBR and NBR to a similar degree and mostly unchanged after HAMB. Certain body sway parameters were impaired after HAMB, confirming that hypoxia alone can undermine postural balance. On the other hand, some trunk responses were improved after HAMB. In conclusion, the results of our study confirmed previous findings on negative effects of bed rest, but showed little or no additional effect of hypoxia during bed rest. Physical activity during bed rest is encouraged to preserve neuromuscular functions of the trunk. While the HBR condition in our study resembled conditions during space missions, our results could be relevant to other populations, such as patients with pulmonary diseases exposed to bed rest

Sterilization of polypropylene membranes of facepiece respirators by ionizing radiation

Ionizing radiation has been identified as an option for sterilization of disposable filtering facepiece respirators in situations where the production of the respirators cannot keep up with demand. Gamma radiation and high energy electrons penetrate deeply into the material and can be used to sterilize large batches of masks within a short time period. In relation to reports that sterilization by ionizing radiation reduces filtration efficiency of polypropylene membrane filters on account of static charge loss, we have demonstrated that both gamma and electron beam irradiation can be used for sterilization, provided that the respirators are recharged afterwards