Study of The Impact of Users’ Features on Dimensional Allowances Resulting from the Use of Personal Protective Equipment

Up-to-date anthropometric data on the human population are needed for designing safe and ergonomically efficient workplaces. An important determinant of safety and ergonomic comfort at work is knowledge of the value of dimensional allowances (DAs) when using personal protective equipment (PPE) as the dimensions and space occupied by workers increase. This is particularly important in environments characterized by spatial constraints. However, it is not well known to what extent the aforementioned DAs are affected by the users’ features. The anthropometric dimensions of 200 people (151 males and 49 females) were obtained from 3D scans, and these became the basis for calculating DAs when using PPE kits normally worn by rescue and technical workers. DAs were determined for the entire body shape of a person wearing three types of PPE kits designed for firefighters, mine rescuers, and welders. In the study, maximum and mean values of height, width, and circumference DAs were obtained. In addition, percentage dimensional increments (DIs) were calculated. A three-dimensional analysis of the human body with and without PPE, involving a 3D scanning methodology, was applied to address the research question. Test results clearly indicate that the values of DAs do not depend on the anthropometric features of users, such as sex, age, and body height percentile—they remain constant for a given type of PPE. The presented data are useful for designing PPE products as well as work tools and infrastructure, including machinery, devices, workstations, means of transport, interiors, and building equipment. The results of the presented study indicate that dimensional allowances play a significant role in interactions between persons wearing PPE and their work environments. The obtained results (DAs and percentage DIs) are included in a new anthropometric atlas of human measures developed by the CIOP-PIB in 2023.