Abstract
Purpose: To develop a Physical Employment Standard (PES) for the British Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regt).
Method: Twenty-nine RAF Regt personnel completed eight critical tasks wearing Combat Equipment Fighting Order (31.5 kg) while being monitored for physical and perceptual effort. A PES was developed using task simulations, measured on 61 incumbents.
Results: The resultant PES consists of: 1) a battlefield test involving task simulations: single lift and point-of-entry (psss/fail); timed elements (react to effective enemy fire and crawl) set at 95th performance percentile; casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) casualty drag and CASEVAC simulated stretcher carry completed without stopping. 2) a Multi Stage Fitness Test level 9.10 to assess aerobic fitness to complete a tactical advance to battle.
Conclusion: The task-based PES should ensure RAF Regt personnel have a baseline level of fitness to perform and withstand the physical demands of critical tasks to at least a minimum acceptable standard.
Method: Twenty-nine RAF Regt personnel completed eight critical tasks wearing Combat Equipment Fighting Order (31.5 kg) while being monitored for physical and perceptual effort. A PES was developed using task simulations, measured on 61 incumbents.
Results: The resultant PES consists of: 1) a battlefield test involving task simulations: single lift and point-of-entry (psss/fail); timed elements (react to effective enemy fire and crawl) set at 95th performance percentile; casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) casualty drag and CASEVAC simulated stretcher carry completed without stopping. 2) a Multi Stage Fitness Test level 9.10 to assess aerobic fitness to complete a tactical advance to battle.
Conclusion: The task-based PES should ensure RAF Regt personnel have a baseline level of fitness to perform and withstand the physical demands of critical tasks to at least a minimum acceptable standard.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1572-1584 |
Journal | Ergonomics |
Volume | 62 |
Issue number | 12 |
Early online date | 5 Sept 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2019 |
Keywords
- critical tasks
- physiological demands
- direct task simulations
- minimum standard
- method of best practice