Report on the Evaluation of Two Prototype Chemical Protective Clothing Garments

摘要

The study evaluated the heat strain experienced by seven soldiers exposed to heat stress while exercising in prototype and issue chemical protective (CP) garments in Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP-1). The control garments were the issue Chemical Protective Undergarment (CPU) and Marine Saratoga Overgarment (CPO). The prototype (X) garments were lightweight CPO and CPUs. Testing consisted of 100 min exposures to thermoneutral (20C, 50% RH), desert (49C, 20% RH) and tropic (35C, 75% RH) environments while walking at 1.34 m-s-1 (3 mph). Data included rectal temperatures and total endurance times (ET). In descending order of performance, the results indicate a joint ranking of the two overgarments, then the prototype undergarment (CPU-X) and, finally, the issue undergarment (CPU-C). One significant difference between the two overgarments indicated an advantage for the prototype (CPO-X), whereas other observations indicated that the issue overgarment (CPO-C) was a more 'wearable' garment. The issue undergarment (CPU-C) was significantly different (worse) than the two overgarments. In fewer cases (49C), the prototype undergarment (CPU-X) did significantly worse than the overgarments. Between the two undergarments, all significant differences indicated that the prototype (CPU-X) would induce less thermal strain than the issue (CPU-C) undergarment.