key: cord-0699620-gv1krcjv
authors: Hignett, S.; Welsh, R.; Banerjee, J.
title: Human factors issues of working in personal protective equipment during the COVID‐19 pandemic
date: 2020-07-07
journal: Anaesthesia
DOI: 10.1111/anae.15198
sha: cdac9af019558179210671a78c1d279e7c1fd55c
doc_id: 699620
cord_uid: gv1krcjv

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preconception bias about availability to ask with regard to fit and comfort, reading and operating equipment, hearing and communicating, reaching and moving, and dexterity to use touch screens, press buttons, open vials/taps and use syringes. We included a wide range of PPE to reflect changing guidelines for face cover (safety glasses with/ without prescription spectacles, safety goggles, surgical masks, surgical hood with ties, FFP3 facemask and visor), body cover (plastic apron, surgical gown with sleeves, onepiece coverall), and gloves (disposable, viral protection).

Each section (face, body and gloves), had closed questions with a free text comment box. The questionnaire is available as online supporting information, Appendix S1. The Surviving PPE theme included injuries and overheating "2 x plastic aprons and surgical gown as per PHE [5] guidance can get very sweaty and hot doing manual work, which can make it harder to focus or continue to give the same effort to the physical work", "It contributes to stress, exhaustion". Skin breakdown was reported "goggles pin my ears and apply pressure to frame, very uncomfortable and sore", and musculoskeletal injuries associated with the "way your head seems to be held with full visor". Supplying PPE included varying provision between shifts with up to 6 different designs of surgical masks.

Personal protective equipment acts as a safety barrier by changing the task interface, and we suggest that more human factor/ergonomic research is needed to improve the functional design of PPE so that healthcare workers are better supported to carry out critical care and other medical treatment.

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COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE)

We thank D. Roland