Cross-cultural comparison of firefighters’ perception of mobility and occupational injury risks associated with personal protective equipment

Abstract

Purpose. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) on firefighters’ perceptions of mobility and their experienced occupational injury risks between China and the USA. Materials and methods. An online survey was conducted and a total of 328 firefighters, including 203 Chinese firefighters and 125 US firefighters, participated in the survey. Results. Both Chinese and US firefighters ranked mobility restriction as the most dissatisfactory characteristic of the current PPE. US firefighters reported the upper body as the most restricted region and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) as the most dissatisfactory item. Chinese firefighters ranked boots as the leading cause of dissatisfaction, but they did not indicate any particular discomfort region. Moreover, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were the most prevalent occupational injury reported by both Chinese and US firefighters. Restricted mobility while wearing PPE was closely related to the risk of MSDs. Conclusions. The findings suggested that PPE design for US firefighters should consider a balance in the weight distribution of SCBA and the overall interface of turnout gear and equipment. For Chinese firefighters’ PPE, flexibility of materials for boots should be emphasized to increase mobility and reduce the risks of MSDs.