The steady-state load of five firefighting tasks. Issue 1 (2nd January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Medbø, Jon Ingulf; Mamen, Asgeir; Oseland, Harald; von Heimburg, Erna Dianne
• Is Part Of: International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics. Volume 26:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 173
• Page End: 180
• Publication Date: 2020-01-02
• Subjects: firefighting -- ladder climbing -- exercise -- heart rate -- oxygen uptake -- lung ventilation -- blood lactate concentration -- rating of perceived exertion; Human engineering -- Periodicals; Industrial safety -- Periodicals; Human Engineering -- Periodicals; Occupational Health -- Periodicals; Ergonomie -- Périodiques; Sécurité du travail -- Périodiques; Human engineering; Industrial safety; Periodicals; 620.8
• DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2019.1573013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1080-3548

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose . Physiologic demands of five common tasks in firefighting have been examined. Methods . Eight male volunteers, dressed up as smoke divers (+21 kg extra load), carried out the following tasks at constant pace for 5 min: walking at 1.4 m·s –1, walking (all walks at the same speed) while carrying a 10-kg ladder, walking carrying two hose packs of 16 kg together, walking carrying a 32-kg spreader tool and, finally, climbing up and down a ladder at a preset pace. A 5-min break separated each exercise. The heart rate, oxygen uptake and lung ventilation were measured continuously, and the blood lactate concentration was recorded after each task. Results . The end-exercise heart rate rose from 108 to 180 bpm from the first to last task, blood lactate concentration rose from 1 to 7 mmol·L –1, oxygen uptake rose from 19 to 48 ml·kg –1 min –1 and lung ventilation rose from 38 to 124 L·min –1 . Discussion . Walking was an easy task even when dressed up as a smoke diver. Adding loads increased demands; ladder climbing taxed >90% of the subjects' aerobic power. Conclusions . The physiologic demands varied considerably between different tasks.