• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1129-1136
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• 2008

The gaiter is one of the personal protective equipments worn in various industrial sites. This study was performed on humans to investigate the physiological strain of wearing gaiters and to compare control gaiters that are currently on the market and new gaiters that are developed for alleviating heat stress. Experiments were conducted in a climatic chamber of WBGT $30.0\pm0.7^{\circ}C$ under five differed experimental conditions: None, Control A, Control B, New A, New B. The results were as follows. The temperature inside gaiters was significantly lower in both New A and New B than in both Control A and Control B and the difference between news and controls was 1$^{\circ}C$ (p<.01). The humidity inside gaiters in both New A and New B were higher than that in Control A, and lower than that in Control B (p<.01). The outermost surface temperature of the gaiter was the lowest in None and it increased in the following order: New B < New A < Control A < Control B. Mean skin temperature was higher by 0.14$^{\circ}C$ in wearing gaiters than in no gaiters. Skin temperatures in lower body were lower in Control than in New and skin temperature in upper body were higher in Control than in New (p<.01). Local sweat rate, total weight loss and subjective sensations did not show a significant difference according to the gaiters. It was concluded that wearing gaiters affected distribution of skin temperature and local sweat rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.6 s.165
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• pp.955-965
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• 2007

Safety helmets are used widely in various industries by workers since they are legally required to wear them. However, thermal discomfort is one of the major complaints from helmet users. To relieve this problem, frozen gelled packs can be considered for use inside the helmets. In this paper, tests were performed on humans to evaluate the physiological strains of wearing safety helmets and to investigate the effects of using frozen gelled packs inside the helmets. Experiments were conducted in a climatic chamber of WBGT $33{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ under four differed experimental conditions: 1) not wearing a safety helmet(NH); 2) wearing a safety helmet with frozen gelled pack A(HA); 3) wearing a safety helmet with frozen gelled pack B(HB); and 4) wearing only a safety helmet(OH). The results were as follows. First, when comparing NH with OH, physiological responses such as $\bar{T}_{sk},\;T_r$, HR and sweat rate were significantly higher in OH and subjective sensations were reported as less hot and more comfortable than NH(p<.05). Second, in regard to the frozen gelled packs inserted inside the safety helmets, some physiological responses in HA were different from those in HB, according to the two different types of packs. HA was hotter, more uncomfortable and less exhausted than HB. However, result from both HA and HB were lower than those from OH in terms of temperature and humidity inside safety helmet, sweat rate, $T_r$ increase, heat storage(p<.05). When wearing safety helmets with frozen gelled packs, it was shown that heat strain can be alleviated. These results are expected to help millions of workers who complain that wearing safety helmets is uncomfortable and messy.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-80
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• 1982

In order to evaluate the psychosomatic health status of metal manufacturing industries workers and their working environments, the present study was conducted from March 1, 1981 to the end of September 1981. The data was obtained from the samples of metal manufacturing industries in Kyung-In Area and their 1, 162 employees. In addition, the 803 urban residents including students, office clerks, and general publics were sampled as control groups to compare with factory employees in psychosomatic analysis. The basic tool employed in the present study was the Todai Health Index (THI) which modified CMI and was developed by Tokyo University Research Team of Japan. The results of the present study were summarized as follows: 1. Working environments of the factories 1) The data shows that fabrication shop produced the highest noise level ranging from 91 to 96 dB (A) and iron and steel shop had the lowest noise level ranging from 81 to 86 dB (A). 2) Dust concentration was the highest in iron foundry shop ($3.8 mg/m^3$) and the lowest in fabrication shop ($1.2 mg/m^3$). 3) WBGT above threshold limit values (T.L.V.) was noted in steel shop (38$\circ$C) and iron foundry shop (34$\circ$C) 4) The concentration of Sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$)was 30.5ppm at steel shop and 12.0ppm at iron foundry shop. 5) The concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) was 140.0ppm at steel shop and 110.5ppm at iron foundry shop. 6) The atmospheric lead concentration was $0.49 mg/m^3$ at soldering shop. 2. The responses of psychosomatic complaints were much higher in steel shops group than in other manu-facturing group, except the response of aggressiveness. 3. The responses of psychosomatic complaints were much higher in industrial workers than in urban residents, except the responses of depression and aggressiveness (p < 0.01 ). 4. The psychosomatic symptoms which industrial workers and urban residents complained frequently were nervousness. agressiveness and lie scale in order. 5. The responses of psychosomatic complaints by sex were much higher in female group than in male group, except the response of aggressiveness. 6. The responses of psychosomatic complaints by age were that both the female and male group showed an increasing tendency in the all items, except the response of depression as age was increasing. 7. The responses of psychosomatic complaints by the length of services were that both the female and male group showed a tendency of increasing in physical symptoms as work years increased. 8. The responses of psychosomatic complaints were higher in unmarried group in the score of nervousness, aggressiveness, mental irritability and irregular life.