3D Hand Scanning Methodology for Determining Protective Glove Dimensional Allowances

Area of Science:

• Occupational health and safety
• Human factors engineering
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Dimensional allowance is crucial for personal protective equipment (PPE) fit and safe human interaction with tools and machinery.
• Wearing PPE, such as firefighter gloves, alters body dimensions, potentially limiting work environment interactions.
• Understanding these dimensional changes is vital for designing effective and safe workspaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the dimensional allowance of a hand within a firefighter's protective glove.
• To provide data for improving the design of work environments, tools, and control interfaces.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of dimensional differences between a bare hand and a hand in a firefighter's protective glove.
• Analysis of absolute and relative maximum values for hand length, width, and circumference.

Main Results:

• Maximum dimensional allowances for a hand in a firefighter glove were found to be 16.90 mm (5.90%) for length, 12.00 mm (13.77%) for width, and 15.70 mm (7.96%) for circumference.
• These results highlight significant changes in hand dimensions due to protective glove use.

Conclusions:

• The quantified dimensional allowances are essential for ergonomic design considerations in occupational settings.
• Findings can inform the design of machine control panels, tools, and touch displays for improved usability with gloved hands.