Principles and hierarchy design of protective clothing for earthquake disaster search and rescue team members

Purpose - Personal protective assembles protect searchers and rescuers from potential hazards when they enter the earthquake disaster field. Since the earthquake rescue work is risky and complicated, the corresponding protective clothing should meet with the protective, functional and comfort performance demands. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design principles of this kind of protective clothing and present a design model based on the principles. Design/methodology/approach - In this study, the requirements of the protective clothing were investigated in terms of environment, human and clothing. Then the design principles were analyzed by the hierarchy method in four aspects: protection, comfort, ergonomics and compatibility. Design approaches were also investigated in accordance with the design principles in three hierarchies. Findings - Key design points were summarized in the selection of the shell fabrics and linings, clothing styles, constructions and specifications. Also, the overall design methodology of the protective clothing for earthquake rescue members was established. Originality/value - This paper provided a theoretical basis and design model for the development of earthquake search and rescuers' clothing.