3D Hand Scanning Methodology for Determining Protective Glove Dimensional Allowances

Joanna Szkudlarek; Bartłomiej Zagrodny; Sandra Zarychta; Xiaoxue Zhao

doi:10.3390/ijerph20032645

3D Hand Scanning Methodology for Determining Protective Glove Dimensional Allowances

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 1;20(3):2645. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032645.

Authors

Joanna Szkudlarek¹, Bartłomiej Zagrodny², Sandra Zarychta³, Xiaoxue Zhao²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Personal Protective Equipment, Central Institute for Labour Protection-National Research Institute, 48 Wierzbowa Street, 90-133 Lodz, Poland.
² Department of Automation, Biomechanics and Mechatronics, Lodz University of Technology, 1/15 Stefanowskiego Street, 90-924 Lodz, Poland.
³ Division of Dynamics, Lodz University of Technology, 1/15 Stefanowskiego Street, 90-537 Lodz, Poland.

Abstract

There are two types of dimensional allowance (inner and external) related to two distinct areas of occupational health and safety: those being a measure of fit of personal protective equipment (PPE) and those determining the safe and comfortable human interaction with tools and machines, e.g., the latter ones result from wearing PPE increasing the dimensions of the human body and generating limitations in the work environment. In this paper, they are taken to mean the difference between the dimensions of a bare and gloved hand (including glove construction and materials). Dimensional allowances are important in designing the work environment, e.g., machine control panels and tools. The absolute and relative maximum values of dimensional allowances determined in this study for a hand in a firefighter's protective glove for the main anthropometric data are: 16.90 mm (5.90%) for length, 12.00 mm (13.77%) for width, and 15.70 mm (7.96%) for circumference. The obtained results are useful for designers, and especially for designing keys on control panels and LCD touch displays and monitors integrated with machines.

Keywords: 3D hand scanning; dimensional allowances; ergonomic design; occupational health and safety; personal protective equipment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Gloves, Protective
Hand*
Humans
Personal Protective Equipment*
Touch
Working Conditions

Grants and funding

This paper is based on the results of a research task carried out as part of the fifth stage of the National Program “Improvement of safety and working conditions” partly supported in 2020–2022—within the scope of research and development—by the National Centre for Research and Development (project no. I.PB.10 “Development of data for a new atlas of human measures related to the use of personal protective equipment, taking into account the selected parameters of vision”). The Central Institute for Labour Protection–National Research Institute is the program’s main coordinator. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.