Evaluation of Personal Cooling Devices for Dioxin Clean-Up Operation.

摘要

The study investigated the use of personal coolers to increase worker productivity and safety while working at elevated, ambient temperatures cleaning up dioxin contaminated soil. The study included laboratory tests to measure the thermal characteristics of the chemical protective clothing worn and the performance of ice vest and vortex personal coolers. In addition, field tests were conducted at a dioxin clean-up site to evaluate the performance of these two types of personal coolers. The use of personal coolers was found to be an effective method of reducing the risk of heat stress. In addition, workers were able to work continuously in hot weather without following the procedure normally used to decrease heat stress, i.e., working one hour followed by one hour of resting. Both types of personal coolers were acceptable for the task being performed.