ABSTRACT
Environmental ergonomics studies our physiological and behavioral reactions to the ambient environment, and the design of effective barriers that allow us to survive in otherwise inhospitable settings. Research on physiological and behavioral reactions includes studying topics such as responses to cold and heat stress, our capacity to perform work in extreme climates, and acclimatization processes. Research also focuses on requirements for clothing and enclosures that allow us to live in extreme terrestrial climates that range from deserts to Polar regions, or that allow us to venture into extremely harsh environments, such as the ocean floor or outer space. Effective barrier design encompasses the following:
O Clothing — the primary barrier that functions as our second skin and provides for thermal comfort and protection from adverse conditions (personal protective equipment), such as extremes of cold, heat, wind, wetness, air pressure, chemical contaminants, etc., as well as providing adornment and modesty values.
