Nineteen peer-reviewed papers address a range of topics relatedto the performance of protective clothing for government andindustrial workers, first responders, and civilians. Five sectionscover:

Nuclear, biological, and chemical protective apparel—howto effectively evaluate material choices for chemical protectiveapparel using established test methods; and the latest developmentsin the field of electronic textiles and their use in protectiveapparel assemblies for hazardous or combative environments.

Thermal comfort—testing and measurement of thermal andevaporative resistance as it relates to worker comfort, methods tomeasure human perspiration using a thermal manikin, and use ofcooling vests to combat heat stress.

Predicting product performance—outlines various factorsthat influence the performance of protective apparel. For optimumworker benefit, protective garments should be designed to provide ahigh level of protection without limiting the workers’ performanceon the job. Nondestructive test methods for predicting the servicelife of the apparel are also described.

Standards and test method development—discusses how toimprove existing test methods and reviews data for establishing newtest methods.

Assessment of thermal protection—highlights modeling,manikin testing, and the performance of various clothing systemsfor providing thermal protection.

STP 1462 is a vital resource for safety professionals,industrial hygienists, and manufacturers.