The Human Safety Protection and Risk Assessment Laboratory at the China National Institute of Standardization is positioned to conduct research on “human safety risk assessment in specific hazardous environments, with human life function and behavior simulation” as its core model. Using the NEWTON thermal manikin as its central equipment, the Laboratory establishes multi-hazard experimental environments to study human injuries under protective equipment in specific hazardous conditions and develop risk assessment methods. It provides methodological support, technical assistance, and standard specifications for human safety risk assessment and the development of personal protective equipment in China.

The Laboratory is equipped with five categories of devices: thermal manikins, walk-in environmental test chambers, thermal radiation panels and temperature control systems, data acquisition and analysis systems, and large-scale parallel computers. The NEWTON thermal manikin can simulate various human physiological behaviors such as body heat generation, respiration, sweating, and walking. The environmental test chambers can simulate high temperatures, constant temperature and humidity, salt spray, alternating high and low temperatures, rain, sand and dust, light aging, and composite environments. The Laboratory’s capabilities include:

- Simulating disaster environments under laboratory conditions

- Simulating and implementing human thermophysiological responses

- Evaluating human safety in hazardous environments

- Testing the overall performance of functional clothing

- Measuring material properties

The Laboratory primarily conducts research on standards related to human safety protection and risk assessment, product testing, and technical training. It also collaborates extensively with renowned domestic and international testing institutions and enterprises.

Experimental Research Platforms and Main Equipment

1. Human Physiological Function Simulation Equipment – NEWTON Thermal Manikin System

The NEWTON thermal manikin system simulates human physiological functions, including respiration, body heat generation, walking, and sweating. The system consists of the manikin and skin layer, external systems, environmental sensors, and control software. The manikin and skin layer replicate the external structure of the human body, with built-in internal controllers and capillaries to simulate body heat generation and sweating. The external systems, comprising control boxes, mimic the functions of human organs corresponding to physiological activities such as body heat generation and sweating. The overall structure and functional relationships of the thermal manikin system are illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

2. Disaster Environment Simulation System – Walk-In Environmental Test Chamber

The walk-in environmental test chamber is used to create simulated disaster environments under laboratory conditions, including non-uniform thermal environments, constant temperature and humidity environments, and composite experimental environments (temperature, humidity, and wind speed). This enables the laboratory to meet the specific environmental requirements for human safety evaluation and clothing performance assessment.

3. Product Environmental Reliability Testing System – Extreme Environment Test Chamber

The extreme environment test chamber is used to build a product environmental reliability testing system, including salt spray environments, sand and dust environments, alternating high and low temperature environments, and light aging environments. This establishes the laboratory's capability to test product environmental reliability.

Services

1. Overall Performance Testing of Clothing (Thermal Resistance, Moisture Resistance, etc.)

Using the advanced NEWTON thermal manikin, the Laboratory tests the overall thermal resistance, moisture resistance, and other properties of clothing to evaluate its insulation and breathability. These services are available to external clients.

2. Clothing Material Performance Testing

The Laboratory tests the material properties of functional clothing, such as the flame resistance and tear resistance of thermal protective clothing. These services are available to external clients.

3. Human Physiological Function Simulation and Safety Evaluation Research

Using the life-sized NEWTON thermal manikin, the Laboratory simulates human body heat generation, sweating, respiration, and walking to conduct experimental research. Collaborative research opportunities are available.

The Laboratory also places the NEWTON thermal manikin in walk-in environmental test chambers to study human safety in extreme environments such as high temperatures, low temperatures, and composite conditions. Collaborative research opportunities are available.

4. Product Environmental Reliability Testing

The Laboratory tests the environmental reliability of products, such as performance changes caused by temperature, humidity, salt spray, and light exposure. These services are available to external clients.

Research Achievements and Typical Cases

The Laboratory has completed or applied for 8 projects, laying a solid foundation for clothing performance testing and human safety evaluation technology research.

1. Completion of the Basic Scientific Research Project “Study on the Construction of a Thermal Protective Performance Testing Platform for Insulating Clothing Based on a Thermal Manikin”

This project addressed the testing and evaluation of thermal protective performance of insulating clothing. It analyzed key performance indicators, essential equipment, and common methods, designed and built a performance testing platform, and conducted preliminary tests on the thermal protective performance of insulating clothing. The project published 3 research papers, including one EI-indexed paper, one paper in a Chinese core journal, and one paper in Standard Science.

2. Undertaking Tasks of the National Key R&D Program

The Laboratory participated in the National Key R&D Program project “Research on Human Injury Mechanisms in Disaster Environments and the Development and Application Demonstration of Rescue Protection Technology and Equipment”, specifically “Topic 7: Research on Ergonomics Evaluation Methods, Performance Testing Platforms, and Standards Systems for Personal Protective Equipment” and “Special Topic 3: Research on Standards Systems and Environmental Reliability Testing for Personal Protective Equipment”. The Laboratory proposed environmental reliability testing schemes for personal protective equipment, built a testing platform for environmental reliability under high-temperature and rain conditions, and developed corresponding testing technologies and evaluation methods. It also proposed a standards system for personal protective equipment.

3. Collaboration with Multiple Research Institutions

- Collaborated with the Shenyang Institute of Standardization to apply for and complete the project “Validation of Human Safety Time Estimation Methods for Protective Clothing in High-Temperature Environments”.

- Collaborated with the Beijing Institute of Labor Protection Science to apply for and complete the project “Comprehensive Thermal Protective Performance Testing Research for Firefighting Clothing”.

- Collaborated with the China Academy of Safety Science and Technology to apply for and complete the project “Experimental Study on the Impact of Clothing on Human Body Temperature in Specific Temperature and Humidity Environments”.

Contact Information

Contact Person: Qin Tingxin

Phone: 010-58811689

Email: qintx@cnis.ac.cn