Germany’s Hohenstein Institute is now offering testing and certification of protective/safety gloves in accordance with a number of industry standards.

“For work in cold stores, on steel works, a building site or in a laboratory, people depend on perfectly fitting gloves. They protect people's hands, their most important tools, from dangers in their daily working life. Therefore we can now offer testing and certification of gloves in accordance with industry standards,” the Hohenstein Institute says.

Testing is now available for the following standards:

• Protective gloves - general requirements and test methods (DIN EN 420)
• Protective gloves for fire fighters (DIN EN 659)
• Protective gloves against chemicals (DIN EN 374)
• Protective gloves against mechanical risks (DIN EN 388)
• Protective gloves against heat and fire (DIN EN 407)
• Protective clothing for users of hand-held chainsaws (DIN EN 381-7)
• Protective gloves for welders (DIN EN 12477)

“For the best possible protection protective gloves are often made with several layers of different materials. Both ready-made gloves and additional material samples are used as text objects depending on what is prescribed in the individual test process. The certification is carried out in the same way as for other textile PPE in accordance with the European Directive 89/686/EEC,” the Hohenstein says.

To complement its new range of tests, the Hohenstein Institute is currently compiling a database of hand dimensions where state-of-the-art 3D scanner technology is being used to compile precise and validated data such as the ratio of hand circumference to finger length, finger circumferences and even three-dimensional shape information. The ensuing virtual 3Dmodels are used by glove manufacturers to create customised ergonomic adaptations.

Contact

Susanne Vieth

Email: [email protected]