The role of base-layer cooling conditions in human error occurrences during doffing of personal protective equipment in health care

Abstract

This study compared error rates during the personal protective equipment (PPE) removal process under different base-layer cooling conditions while performing the doffing procedures. Ten participants were recruited and received training on the standard doffing procedures before participating in the experiments. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the three base-layer conditions and ran on a treadmill for 30 min. Their physiological biometrics were monitored during exercise trials, and error rates were calculated. The results revealed a significant difference in error rates when PPE was worn over base-layer scrubs made of a cooling fabric versus when it was worn over the conventional medical scrubs. Further, there was a strong negative relationship between the body coverage amount with the cooling fabric and error rates occurring during the doffing procedures. Findings suggested practical considerations for the operational monitoring system and improved PPE design to avoid unintentional errors during the doffing procedures.

Keywords:

• personal protective equipment (PPE)
• doffing procedures
• error analysis
• cooling fabric
• base layer
• health care

Acknowledgements

The author would like to recognize the students – Tyler Klene, Brittany Conroy, Varehya Pratt and Rachel Crain – who aided data collection with study participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by Centers of Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (CDC/NIOSH), Mountain and Plains Education Research (MAP ERC) Pilot [grant number ID 5301312]; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health .