On Tuesday, June 5, Mississippi State University’s Athlete Engineering Institute announced that the University is partnering with HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division to bring new heat safety technologies to the shipyard including CoolMitt devices and a wearable prototype device to aid shipbuilders in the mitigation of heat injuries.
The story below in SuperTalk Mississippi Media highlighted the partnership and shared how the two are working together to bring new innovations in personal protection equipment to the shipbuilding industry.
Mississippi State partners with Ingalls Shipbuilding to create heat safety device
(SuperTalk Mississippi, June 4, 2024 by Caleb Salers)
Mississippi State University and Ingalls Shipbuilding are partnering to develop a technological advancement that will help shipbuilders avoid heat-related injuries.
The college’s athlete engineering institute is collaborating with Mississippi’s largest manufacturing employer and supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants, to build wearable CoolMitt devices, which cool individuals by circulating water at the ideal temperature in a specialized glove that, when worn, can pull heat from the body and rapidly cool the body’s core.
“Shipbuilding has a lot of unique challenges, whether those are high temperatures, changing conditions throughout the production timeline, or managing personal protective equipment,” Reuben Burch, MSU associate vice president for research, said. “Ingalls has been a great partner in this effort as we look to maximize both the performance and safety of the industrial athletes that are carrying out critical work on behalf of our country.”
With temperatures often reaching above 100 degrees during summer months in South Mississippi, where the Pascagoula shipbuilding center resides, experts say it is critical for shipbuilders to stay cool and hydrated.
“Safety is a top priority for our shipbuilders, and we are grateful for the work our partners at MSU are doing to assist us in our efforts to enhance the well-being of our team,” Alexis Moran, environmental engineer at Ingalls, said.
Full story here.
