Gender Differences in Emergency Shipboard Damage-Control Task Performance. Human Factors Solutions.
1997
Marcinik, E. J. | Shake, C. L. | Fothergill, D. M. | Amerson, T. L.
As an alternative to developing exclusionary performance-based selection standards, the approach of this study was to modify the demands of shipboard damage control tasks by using mechanical aids. Tasks selected included a manikin drag (maximum distance in 30 sec) and a CO2 bottle extinguisher carry (sec). A tether device and a shoulder strap were developed to improve performance on the respective tasks. Subjects were 24 women and 23 men stationed onboard the USS Emory S. Land (AS-39). Results indicate that average manikin drag distance was 8.1 m for men and 25.2 m for women. Although no difference was observed between the two drag techniques, use of the tether significantly reduced overall RPE. On average, CO2 bottle extinguisher carry times for women were 59% slower for women than for men. Use of the shoulder strap did not significantly affect time to complete the task or overall RPE. However, RPE for the right arm and right hand were reduced significantly during the strap-assisted carry (38% and 48%, respectively). Future work will focus on refining these prototype devices and assessing their utility in similar and sustained damage control task scenarios.
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