10/18/2023: Design and Safety: Sizing Considerations for Personal Protective Equipment

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Design and Safety: Sizing Considerations for Personal Protective Equipment

About the webinar:

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a vital safety tool in many industries and workplaces. PPE can provide protection to the wearer in many ways, such as shielding the body from impact (i.e., helmets), making the body more visible (i.e., high-visibility clothing), changing the temperature of the body (i.e., moisture-wicking clothing), or even preventing internal exposure (i.e., respirators). Some workers, such as firefighters and astronauts, require very industry-specific protective equipment. Traditionally, PPE has been designed and sized for the average male body. As the workforce becomes much more diverse, protective equipment must be designed and sized appropriately. Poorly designed and ill-fitting PPE reduces the safety provided to the wearer, and in some cases, can create additional safety risks. This webinar will discuss the current state and future needs for the design and sizing of personal protective equipment.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

Describe the function of personal protective equipment (PPE) for a variety of workplaces and industries
Discuss the effect of anthropometrics (body shape and size) on the fit of wearable items such as PPE
Identify potential areas of reduced safety and exacerbated safety concerns in the case of ill-fitting PPE

Speaker: Kayna Devin Hobbs-Murphy, PhD

Dr. Kayna Hobbs-Murphy received her PhD in Environmental Health at Colorado State University, with a specialization in Occupational Ergonomics and Safety. Her doctoral education was funded by the Mountains and Plains Education and Research Center through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Dr. Hobbs-Murphy was awarded by High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety in support of her dissertation research regarding 3D facial anthropometrics for respirator fit outcomes. Throughout her doctoral studies, Dr. Hobbs-Murphy was recognized and awarded for her innovative interdisciplinary research. In August 2023, Dr. Hobbs-Murphy began a tenure-track appointment as Assistant Professor of Apparel Design and Production in the Department of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State University. Dr. Hobbs-Murphy continues to conduct research in anthropometrics (the study of body shape and size) and the fit of wearable items. Her current research foci include 3D scan-based anthropometry and design for marginalized groups.

ACCREDITATION

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 Contact Hour. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 12983, for 1.0 contact hour.

Certificates of Completion

Certificates of Completion will be available to webinar participants who are present for the complete, live webinar, and logged in with their registered email address. Call-in attendees are not eligible for certificates at this time - Please download the Zoom app to log in via email on your smartphone whenever possible.

In order to receive your Certificate of Completion, qualified learners must complete the post-webinar evaluation within 7 days of the webinar. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to qualified learners 24 hours after the webinar via no-reply@zoom.us. Qualified learners who submit their evaluation will receive a Certificate of Completion via email, and can also print/save the certificate from their browser after submitting their evaluation.

If you're not able to attend the live presentation, no problem! We record most presentations and will host them on our website provided we have permission to do so. Presentation recordings are not eligible for Certificates of Completion.

ACCESSIBILITY:

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Michelle Meyer at (510) 642-8365 or mmeyer@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.

Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC)

ABOUT The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health

The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health is one of 10 Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health® and houses the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center, one of 18 centers of its kind supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Their mission is to advance worker health, safety, and well-being. MAP ERC educates future leaders, conducts research, and designs practical solutions to occupational health and safety challenges with partners. They use a Total Worker Health approach in all that they do, by prioritizing safety, first and foremost, while striving to improve overall worker health.