Field evaluation of coverall fabrics: heat stress and pesticide penetration

The effect of wearing coveralls on the heat stress of ten professional airblast applicators of ethion to Florida citrus were studied. During the period June 21, 1988 to August 9, 1988, applicators wore protective clothing of the same design, but made of seven different fabrics. Heat stress was evaluated by measuring the mean skin temperature, oral temperature, and heart rate of pesticide applicators. Subjects also provided subjective evaluations. Seven environmental variables were also monitored. Although each fabric was replicated an average of 17 times for thermal comfort and an average of 23 times for penetration, statistical tests for differences among fabrics were usually not significant at the p less than 0.05 level. Observed differences among suits were statistically significant at p = 0.27 for the heat stress experiment, and extended over the range p = 0.003-0.500 for the penetration experiment. Lighter weight, untreated fabrics marginally ameliorated heat stress under severe environmental conditions, but they allowed more pesticide penetration.