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Title: Missile component repair while wearing nbc protective clothing. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6830615

The US Army Human Engineering Laboratory assessed possible degradation in the performance of missile repair persons while wearing NBC protective clothing. Nine male soldiers, just graduated from the Advanced Individual Training Course in Missile Repair, were required to perform repair tasks in three replications. Two repair tasks were chosen; one considered non-difficult whose activities concentrated on procedural diagnostics and fault isolation; the second considered difficult, required manipulating small machine parts and hand tools requiring fine eye-hand coordination. The experimental results and subsequent comparative statistical analysis showed no degradation in performance of the easier procedures and diagnostic task. The time to complete the more difficult task was degraded (increased) on the average of 45% in MOPP 4 with a definite contribution to degradation attributed to the mask/hood and the protective gloves by themselves. A significant improvement attributed to learning from the first to the second presentation was found, but not from the second to the third presentation. The participants' degree of learning was neither enhanced nor held back while in protective clothing as compared to working in the duty uniform.

Research Organization:
Army Human Engineering Labs., Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (USA)
OSTI ID:
6830615
Report Number(s):
AD-A-137315/8
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English