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Footwear for cold work: a field study about work on high masts

På svenska

Author

  • Kalev Kuklane
  • Désirée Gavhed
  • Ingvar Holmér

Editor

  • Kalev Kuklane
  • Ingvar Holmér

Summary, in English

A series of field studies at cold workplaces were initiated. This paper deals with the study at a telecommunication company and the main attention is paid to the thermal responses of the feet and footwear performance. The study was carried out in February. Eight male workers were the subjects. They were selected among volunteers who carried out various jobs on high masts on four different days. The work was done in pairs on four different masts in Sweden. The insulation of the boots was between 0.33 and 0.35 m2°C/W. Various woollen socks were worn, but also cotton, fibre-pile and synthetic socks, usually together with a woollen sock. Temperature sensors were taped to the second toe and dorsal foot. The workers were observed during the whole workday. The lowest average foot skin temperature was 26.7 °C. The lowest measured foot skin temperature was 20.7 °C. The mean difference between the toe and foot skin temperatures was 7 °C. All the subjects had the toe temperatures under 18 °C at least once. The lowest mean toe skin temperature was 17.1-2.2 °C and the lowest measured toe temperature was 9.8 °C. The sweat accumulation in the footwear was at average 37 g (6-94 g) per day (7.5-3.7 g/h). Around 4 g of that stayed in the socks at the end of the day. The footwear was generally considered comfortable. Problems with the footwear were reported to be stiff in the cold, cold feet, sweaty or wet feet. One person slipped during the day, but did not fall. The footwear in combination with the chosen socks worked well in the particular weather conditions (-2 to -8 °C). However, more attention should be paid to the cold protection of toes. During low foot activity the toe temperatures dropped relatively quickly at air temperatures of about -10 °C and/or high wind speeds (about 10 m/s).

Publishing year

2000

Language

English

Pages

75-78

Publication/Series

Arbete och hälsa

Issue

2000:8

Document type

Conference paper

Publisher

National Institute for Working Life

Topic

  • Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

Conference name

Ergonomics of Protective Clothing: NOKOBETEF 6 and 1st European Conference on Protective Clothing

Conference date

2000-05-07 - 2000-05-10

Conference place

Norra Latin, Stockholm, Sweden

Status

Published

Research group

  • Thermal Environment Laboratory

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0346-7821
  • ISBN: 91-7045-559-7