Firefighters’ Anthropometrics: A Comparison Between Two Portuguese Fire Brigades

Anna S.P. Moraes, Miguel A.F. Carvalho, Rachel S. Boldt, Fernando B.N. Ferreira, Susan P. Ashdown, Linsey Griffin

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In firefighting, fit and sizing of personal protective equipment are directly related with the protection level, work performance, and comfort of firefighters. Furthermore, proper fit and sizing depend on appropriate sizing systems and the validity of the data from which they were constructed. Thus, anthropometric data are paramount for personal protective equipment design. Despite recent studies, anthropometric databases on firefighters are still very limited. Aiming to fulfill this shortcoming as well as to understand if Portuguese firefighters’ protective equipment is adjusted to their anthropometrics, a study designated as Size FF Portugal – Anthropometric Study of Portuguese Firefighters is currently underway. This paper presents a preliminary comparison of anthropometric data of firefighters from two different fire brigades: a mixed brigade and a professional brigade. Results of an initial analysis show that participants from the professional brigade were on average 29 mm taller than participants from the mixed brigade. Moreover, participants from the mixed brigade were on average 6.93 kg heavier. Further, results of inferential ANOVA test at a 95% confidence level revealed statistically significant differences of the stature and weight between career-volunteer firefighters from the mixed brigade and career firefighters from the professional brigade. Furthermore, an examination of Body Mass Index revealed that 71.88% of all participants from the mixed brigade as well as 41.58% of participants from the professional brigade were considered above the normal weight range. Differences of anthropometric measurements between the two fire brigades reveal the relevance in developing a more comprehensive yet detailed anthropometric database of Portuguese firefighters.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, IEA 2021
Subtitle of host publicationMethods and Approaches
EditorsNancy L. Black, W. Patrick Neumann, Ian Noy
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages105-113
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9783030746131
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 13 2021
Event21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, IEA 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: Jun 13 2021Jun 18 2021

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Networks and Systems
Volume223 LNNS
ISSN (Print)2367-3370
ISSN (Electronic)2367-3389

Conference

Conference21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, IEA 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period6/13/216/18/21

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments. We would like to acknowledge the 2C2T-Centre for Textile Science and Technology of the University of Minho. This work is financed by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program (COMPETE) POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136, by national funds through the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/CTM/000264, by Fundo de Apoio às Vítimas dos Incêndios de Pedrógão, and by ICC/Lavoro.

Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge the 2C2T-Centre for Textile Science and Technology of the University of Minho. This work is financed by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program (COMPETE) POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136, by national funds through the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/CTM/000264, by Fundo de Apoio ?s V?timas dos Inc?ndios de Pedr?g?o, and by ICC/Lavoro.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Keywords

  • Anthropometric data
  • Body mass index
  • Firefighting
  • Fit and sizing
  • Personal protective equipment

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