Behavioral effects of multiple SCBA stressors: safety research for recommending federal standards.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hodgson J ; Kamon E ; Mihaly T ; Turner N ; Vercruyssen M
• Description:
  The effects of individual differences and self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) stressors on mental performance during rest and maximal exertion running were examined. The subjects for the study included healthy male volunteers: four carbon-dioxide (124389) (CO2) sensitive, four young and fit, and four miners. Serial choice visual reaction time (SCRT) was used as a measure of cognitive performance. In a simulation of an emergency escape from a mine, each subject performed a 2 mile maximal exertion run on a treadmill ergometer under nine conditions: control, resistance breathing (RB), CO2, positive pressure breathing (PPB), hot air breathing (HAB), CO2+RB, HAB+RB, HAB+CO2, and HAB+CO2+RB. No significant differences were noted among the young fit, CO2 sensitive, or miner groups. Certain of the SCBA stressors significantly increased the time to perform a simulated mine escape. The greatest decrement in performance was caused by the triple stressor condition. In response to questioning after completion of the tests, nine of the 12 subjects reported difficulty breathing in the triple stressor condition, eight during RB alone, seven during HAB+RB, six during CO2+RB, and six during PPB. Headaches occurred in all 12 subjects in the triple stressor condition but only three reported headaches in the HAB+CO2 and two in the CO2 condition alone. No headaches were reported during any of the non CO2 exposure conditions. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Automation Coal Coal Mining Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Breathing-atmospheres Compressed-air-breathing-apparatus Mental-processes Mining-industry Pulmonary-system Underground-miners Work-performance
• ISBN:
  9789998969155
• ISSN:
  1071-1813
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  California ; New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00176405
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 31st Annual Meeting, Rising to New Heights with Technology, October 19-23, 1987, New York City. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society, 1987 Sep; 2:931-935
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon dioxide (CAS RN 124-38-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1987
• Performing Organization:
  University of Southern California
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19860929
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 31st Annual Meeting, Rising to New Heights with Technology, October 19-23, 1987, New York City
• End Date:
  19870928
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:667560d5a58fe1e3bc370f03461f9069e4f8aa56c24eda337ef7862cd8e313ef9fa16813b191f8c0ada803eaa33b12fb9285132fd2ba60c2221f6bcf5d80d256
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185421/cdc_185421_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 485.18 KB ]