Stresses involved in wearing PVC supplied-air suits: a review

A side effect of the growth and development of industrial technology is the ever increasing number of hostile environments encountered by man. This situation has resulted in the development of impermeable clothing as a barrier protection against the external environment. Unfortunately, although specific government standards concerning the design and engineering requirements of the impermeable suit have been stated, little or no standardized evaluation of the majority of available suits has been attempted. This review was undertaken to provide an in-depth summary of the physiological effects of a PVC protective suit while working. It was concluded that it was necessary to develop a standardized performance test to determine the protective and stressful characteristics of the individual manufacturer's designed suit. Recommendations of specific criteria for the test were obtained.