Into the Fire
How Satisfied Are Firefighters With Their Protective Clothing?
Their turnout gear protects firefighters from a wide range of hazards (e.g., heat, fire, cuts). However, if this clothing does not fit properly, the risk of accidents rises dramatically. Women firefighters may be particularly affected by this.
The requirements for protective uniforms for firefighters in Germany are set out in DIN EN 469, “Protective Clothing for Firefighters,” and in the “Manufacturing and Testing Description for Universal Protective Clothing for Firefighters” (HuPF) for firefighter jackets and pants. The HuPF also contains size information and sizes for sewing patterns, usually based on men’s measurements.
The requirements of the HuPF can be handled flexibly as long as the protective function of the firefighter uniforms is not impaired. It is even expressly welcomed if, for example, different designs and fits are offered. Some manufacturers make use of this option and explicitly design firefighter clothing for women. Other manufacturers only offer limited modifications to in-seam lengths. Nevertheless, clothing tailored explicitly to female firefighters is rarely found in fire departments. In addition, not all female body shapes are equally well-covered by the clothing. There are many reasons for this:
- Manufacturers only offer a limited selection of different styles
- Intermediaries only stock “standard” sizes for fittings – not the full range of options
- Fire departments have very little time to decide which new styles they should introduce and hardly any time to carry out extensive tests, with many participants trying out different cuts and styles from various manufacturers
- Fire departments are not aware of how helpful standardized wear trials can be
- Many municipalities shy away from the higher cost of procuring a more comprehensive range of firefighter protective clothing
Joint IAW and ITA Research Project
For all these various reasons, the RWTH Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics (IAW) and Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) decided to collaborate on a research project (also involving bachelor’s and master’s theses) to look at protective clothing for firefighters more closely and with a particular eye to the firefighters’ individual needs. First, the researchers interviewed members from different types of fire departments (volunteer, professional, and factory/company fire departments). They then developed and conducted a nationwide web- and questionnaire-based survey built on these interviews.
In late summer 2021, 1,734 firefighters responded and answered 101 questions. 1,223 of the data sets are complete.
The questionnaires contained questions from the following areas:
- Demographics and physique of survey participants
- Selection of styles and whether new firefighter protective clothing had been introduced at their department
- Maintenance, wear, servicing, and retirement of firefighter protective clothing
- Satisfaction with the currently used firefighter protective clothing
- Firefighters’ opinions on selected proposals for improving their turnout gear
In their analysis of the survey results, the researchers found, among other things, that women firefighters are more dissatisfied with firefighter protective clothing than men (see Figure 1).
When looking at the individual components of personal protective equipment, there are sometimes considerable differences between female and male firefighters regarding their satisfaction and having to adapt to ill-fitting clothes. For example, the rate of female firefighters responding with “very satisfied” to questions about firefighter jackets, firefighter pants, or tech-nical assistance gloves differs from that of male firefighters by around 10 percentage points in each category.
Dissatisfaction With Protective Clothing Is a Cause for Concern
The comparatively high level of dissatisfaction among women firefighters with the firefighter jacket and firefighter pants and their poor fit are a real cause for concern. In combination, the firefighter jacket and firefighter pants protect most of the body. Only the head, neck, hands, and feet remain uncovered by the firefighter jacket and firefighter pants. If firefighters’ turnout gear is not selected carefully, they are much more likely to get injured. Consequently, protective clothing for firefighters must fit as well as possible. Firefighter safety can only be ensured if they have the proper clothing – a secure yet comfortable and well-fitting protective uniform.
The researchers at the Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics (IAW) and the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) are now planning to investigate the correlation between accident risk and the fit of protective clothing for female and male firefighters even further. To this end, they submitted a research proposal along with industrial partners from the textile sector and various fire departments. The longterm goal is to improve the currently used firefighter clothing in terms of comfort and fit for different body shapes.
The joint IAW and ITA research project on protective clothing for firefighters convinced the jury and won the Helping Hand prize awarded by the German Ministry of the Interior. This prize is the highest award for voluntary civil protection in Germany.
– Authors: Rahel Heesemann, Justin Kühn, Carsten Schiffer
Big Events Are on the Horizon – ITA Turns 90 This Year!
The “Institut für Textiltechnik” (ITA), loosely translated as Institute of Textile Technology, marks 90 years of innovation and excellence at RWTH Aachen University.
Founded in 1934 with just a handful of lectures, ITA has grown into an International Center for Sustainable Textiles, boasting over 400 employees. The institute focuses on sustainability, digitalization, and industrial transformation, reflecting its commitment to modernity and progress.
ITA has been a leading international research institute for decades, driving numerous significant developments and fostering collaborations with public research institutions, industry, and business. The institute’s expertise spans a wide array of sectors, including mobility, housing and construction, health, energy and environment, information and communication, and production and materials, demonstrating its broad range of skills and areas of activity. ITA’s main site, covering over 6,500 square meters, includes an expansive technical center where the entire textile process chain is mapped out – from fiber extraction and production to processing and finishing – across a wide range of textile technologies and scales.
This milestone anniversary is the perfect opportunity to celebrate ITA’s rich history and many successes while also envisioning an exciting future with partners, friends, alums, and employees.
Webseite: www.ita.rwth-aachen.de
– Author and Contact person: Dr. Bernhard Schmenk
The institute building of the ITA. Photo: Peter Winandy