Nineteen peer-reviewed papers address a range of topics related to the performance of protective clothing for government and industrial workers, first responders, and civilians. Five sections cover:

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

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

Predicting product performance—outlines various factors that influence the performance of protective apparel. For optimum worker benefit, protective garments should be designed to provide a high level of protection without limiting the workers’ performance on the job. Nondestructive test methods for predicting the service life of the apparel are also described.

Standards and test method development—discusses how to improve existing test methods and reviews data for establishing new test methods.

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

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