Personal protective equipment against vibration: anti-vibration gloves

Status:

completed 02/1996

Aims:

So-called anti-vibration gloves were first placed on the market in the early eighties: These gloves were tested by the manufacturers under conditions which were far from being application-oriented, and they promised protection against hazardous exposure to hand-arm vibration. Investigations under real-life conditions, however, showed that they offer little or no protection at all. The project was aimed to elaborate a test method allowing for a reproducible measurement of the protective properties of gloves and for the determination of state-of-the-art readings usable for the assessment of test results. The project results were to be discussed in European and international standardisation bodies.

Activities/Methods:

Typical vibration spectra were established for the field- oriented test method. A special measurement adapter was designed in co-operation with the Swiss accident insurance institution (SUVA) to fix the accelerometer on the worker's palm. A test bench able to simulate vibration, along with the necessary additional equipment, was developed and tested for the purpose of glove examination.

Results:

Testing under real-life conditions showed hat - despite the manufacturers' advertising slogans - none of the gloves so far available provided sufficient protection against vibration. Personal protective equipment against hand-arm vibration is presently not on hand. The project results were included in EN ISO 10819 "Method for the measurement and evaluation of the vibration transmissibility of gloves at the palm of hand" (August 96).

Further informations:

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