Thermal Protection Afforded by Two Anti-Exposure Coveralls When Worn in Cold Water

摘要

The Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF) was contracted by U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters to evaluate the thermal protection afforded by two prototype aircrew anti exposure coveralls when worn in cold water. The coveralls were developed by two different manufacturers to meet U.S. Coast Guard specification G-OAV-3-1401/A of 15 July 1986. The coveralls were evaluated on seven male subjects immersed in 10 deg C (50 deg F) water for 2 hours (with air temperature 13 deg C, minimal wind). When either of the two anti-exposure coveralls was worn, all subjects were able to complete the 2-hour water immersion. There were no differences in the thermal protection afforded by the two coveralls, as measured by rectal temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, and oxygen uptake responses (P>0.05). The decrease in rectal temperature after 2 hours of cold water immersion averaged 1.0 C; mean weighted skin temperature averaged 2.3 C. Final heart rate averaged 77 b/min. Oxygen consumption, which was used as a measure of shivering, was the same when either coverall was worn. Both coveralls met the Coast Guard requirement of preventing rectal temperature from dropping more than 1 C per hour. (SDW)