• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.221-229
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• 2023

This study aims to develop knee protectors that provide high safety and fitness, while incorporating a motion-adaptable 3D-printed pad. These protectors were evaluated by individuals who experience knee discomfort or pain. The results are as follows. First, the 3Dprinted pad design of a hexagonal mesh structure, which is modeled for excellent appearance and knee movement. Each unit of the mesh has a outer layer of 2mm thick, a spacer layer of 1 mm in diameter, and is connected by a 1.5 mm bridge. The bridge was extended up to 1.2 cm. Second, the knee brace was designed in three types - cylinder, strap, and combination by Universal design. Impact protection measurements of the three knee protectors demonstrated roughly 80% reduction in impact. Third, based on usability evaluation, cylinder type protectors have the highest ratings in most areas, primarily because of their ease of use. The strap type protector received positive reviews in terms of appearance and care, and the combination type provided stable knee protection. This study demonstrated the potential industrial application of 3D printing technology by designing and evaluating protective products for the human body. The results of this study are expected to aid knee protector manufacturers in developing practical products and promoting the development of protective equipment for other body parts or purposes.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.422-428
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• 2018

In this study, we developed honeycomb pads using foam and polymer gel and verified the impact protection performance of pads for the development of a fall protection pants for elderly women aged 65 and over who have a high risk of fracture due to falls. The results are as follows; In the first experiment, the impact protection performance was evaluated for four honeycomb pad samples (CR foam, EPDM foam, hardness 15 polymer gel, and hardness 30 polymer gel) manufactured to a thickness of 5 mm using a single material. When the force of about 10757N was applied to the specimens, all four pads reduced the impact force to 3100N or less. Polymer gels showed better protection than foam materials. In the second experiment, the thickness of the protective pad was set to 8 mm in order to improve the shock absorbing performance of the protective pad. As a result of evaluating the impact protection performance of the foam single pad and foam gel composite pad, the impact absorbing performance of the foam single pad was better. Finally, four kinds of protection pads were made by assigning the foam single pad and the foam gel composite pad to pants type and underwear type respectively. The pad thickness of the main protection area was set to 8 mm to enhance the protection, and gradually decreased to 5mm and 3mm toward the edge to improve the appearance and fit.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.172-182
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• 2018

The purpose of the present study was to quantify the thermal insulation of garments by item and examine factors influencing clothing insulation. A total of 769 garments in clo unit were collected and classified into 12 categories: blouses/shirts (95 items, BS), T-shirts/sweaters (62 items, TS), vest (23 items, VT), cardigans (23 items, CD), jackets/coats (75 items, JC), sport outerwear (including padding jackets)(48 items, SO), trousers (23 items, TR), skirts (56 items, SK), dresses (28 items, DS), underwear (150 items, UW), sleepwear (50 items, SW), and personal protective clothing (59 items, PPC). The results showed that clothing insulation was $0.21{\pm}0.01clo$ for the BS, $0.22{\pm}0.01clo$ for TS, $0.12{\pm}0.00clo$ for VT, $0.23{\pm}0.02clo$ for CD, $0.40{\pm}0.02clo$ for JC, $0.49{\pm}0.03clo$ for SO, $0.21{\pm}0.01clo$ for TR, $0.18{\pm}0.01clo$ for SK, $0.34{\pm}0.03clo$ for DS, $0.09{\pm}0.01clo$ for UW, $0.42{\pm}0.03clo$ for SW, and $0.56{\pm}0.03clo$ for PPC (p<.001). The most influential factors among the seven factors for thermal insulation of garments were clothing weight and covering area; however, the explanatory powers of two factors differed according to clothing categories. The covering area had more significant impact on clothing insulation in cardigans, jackets/coats, trousers, and dresses than clothing weight. Covering areas and clothing weight were the most influential factors in the following categories: blouses/shirt, T-shirts/sweaters, skirts, sleepwear and personal protective clothing. The garment weight was the most important factor for thermal insulation for the sport outerwear.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.123-136
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• 2024

This study aimed to assess the mobility and thermal comfort of personal protective equipment (PPE) among female healthcare workers, taking into account wearers' physique and PPE protection levels. A total of 16 participants (age: 26.3 ± 8.3 y, height: 161.5 ± 7.3 cm, body weight: 57.1 ± 11.0 kg, BMI: 21.9 ± 3.6), representing diverse body types, underwent four PPE conditions: L (Low_Plastic gown ensemble), M (Medium_Tyvek 400), H (High_Tyvek 800J with Powered Air Purifying Respirator [PAPR]), and E (Extremely high_Tychem 2000 with PAPR, Bib apron, and Chemical-resistant gloves). The mobility protocol consisted of 10 different tasks in addition to donning and doffing. The 10 tasks were repeated twice at an air temperature of 24.3 ± 0.1℃, 59±4%RH. Findings revealed a disproportionate relationship between PPE protection and wearer discomfort. Significant differences in clothing microclimate and total sweat rate were observed between the lowest (L) and highest (E) protection levels (p < 0.01), while distinctions among medium levels were inconclusive. Subjective evaluations favored conditions H and L over M and E (p < 0.05), indicating reduced heat, and humidity, increased comfort, and lower exertion. Instances of mobility discomfort, specially in the small body type group, underscored the need for a suitable PPE size system for Korean adult female medical workers. Furthermore, enhancements in gloves, shoe cover, and PAPR hood designs are essential for improving ease of movement and preventing hindrance.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.142-146
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• 2015

Human resources development is considered a critical issue for improving productivity of workers in construction industry. The aim of this study is to identify and rank the key motivating factors that impact skilled workers productivity according to their relative importance. A total of 27 factors were identified through a literature review, which were categorized into 2 group financial and un-financial motivators. A questionnaire instrument was adopted in this study. The study revealed that the most significant group which affected skilled workers' productivity in construction projects was financial group with the recognition of the un-financial group importance. The results emphasized that the financial group has an edge over the un-financial group which reflect the priority of need for the respondents. The results indicated that the un-financial group represents a backbone in its importance after the financial group which reflects that un-financial factors can improve productivity. The findings showed that the provision of companies to safety conditions factor such as protective safety clothing and protective equipment was ranked very low by the respondents. This is due to the dominant culture of the workers as well as the lack of their awareness regarding their own safety and lack of companies' interest in safety and health for workers. Construction companies are advised to take the key motivating factors obtained from the results of this study into serious consideration in order to improve the satisfaction of their workers and improve their productivity.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.831-838
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the perception and practice of the infection control by empowerment in the dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was filled out by 200 dental hygienists in Gyeongbuk from January 3 to February 20, 2013. Data were analyzed by SPSS 12.0 program. The instrument of impowerment was adapted from Spreitzer and consisted of 12 questions including meaning(4 questions), competency(4 questions), self-decision(4 questions), and impact(4 questions). Impowerment was score by Likert 5 scale and higher score means higher impowerment. The instrument for hand washing recognition and practice was adapted from Kim and consisted of hand washing(5 questions), personal protective clothing management(5 questions), contaminated appliance management(3 questions), sterilization(3 questions), and infection control environment(8 questions). The empowerment instrument was score by Likert 5 scale and the mean was 3.83 points. Based on 3.83, infection control recognition and practice were divided into upper group and lower group. Cronbach alpha was 0.951 in empowerment, 0.931 in recognition, and 0.924 in practice in the study. Results: Based on the average points of 3.83, the groups were divided into two groups including upper group and lower group. The upper group showed higher score in hand washing than the lower group. In the protective clothing management, the upper group changed the mask at one-hour interval(p<0.001). Conclusions: In the viewpoint of empowerment, it had a significant influence on the perception and practice of the dental infection control in the dental hygienists.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.131-138
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• 2017

Most of high performance fabrics for the car racing protective clothing have been developed to have thermal resistance, flame retardant property, impact resistance and anti-frictional properties to protect the racer from the crucial accident. In this study, the meta-aramid fabric, which has inherent flame retardant, was coated with nanoparticles of SiC to enhance the impact resistance and anti-friction properties. Uniform coating of the nanoparticles onto the fabrics was obtained by using tape casting method. As the experimental parameters, size and content of the SiC nanoparticle were varied with the coating conditions of the fabric surface. The effects of the nanoparticle coating on the properties of meta-aramid fabric were examined with various instrumental analyses such as SEM, tensile strength and abrasion test.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.421-428
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• 2022

Background: The exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation is a significant risk factor generally underestimated by outdoor workers and employers. Several studies have pointed out that occupational solar exposure increased eye and skin diseases with a considerable impact on the lives and productivity of affected workers. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness against ultraviolet radiation of some measures recently undertaken for the protection of lifeguards in a coastal area of Tuscany. Methods: Different shading structures (gazebos and beach umbrella) were tested during a sunny summer's day on a sandy beach by means of two radiometers; the UV protection offered by some T-shirts used by lifeguards was also tested in the laboratory with a spectrophotometer. Results: The analysed shading structures strongly reduced the ultraviolet radiation by up to 90%, however a not always negligible diffuse radiation is also present in the shade, requiring further protective measures (T-shirt, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.); the tested T-shirts showed a very good-excellent protection according to the Australian/New Zealand standard. Conclusion: Results obtained in this study suggest how the adoption and dissemination of good practices, including those tested, could be particularly effective as a primary prevention for lifeguards who are subjected to very high levels of radiation for long periods.