Anthropometric Analysis of Fit Problems in Chemical Protective Gloves

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of anthropometries in analyzing sizing problems found in commercially available chemical protective gloves for agricultural workers and makes recommendations for the design of better fitting gloves. The Engineering Anthropometric Clothing Design Model served as the framework for this research. Because no data on the hand dimensions of agricultural workers were available an anthropometric survey was conducted of 380 Alberta grain farmers who handle pesticides. Nineteen hand dimensions were measured for each subject. When compared to military populations, the hand circumference of agricultural workers was found to be significantly larger. A smaller sample of farmers who were representative of the agricultural population evaluated the static and dynamic fit of four glove types. Through this evaluation several major problems in the design of the gloves were identified. To improve the fit of chemical protective gloves for agricultural workers, the length of fingers need to be shortened and the thumb position relocated.

Clothing, Textiles, and Human Performance

“…Clothing area factor-the proportion of the body covered by clothing to that not covered by clothing [356] Ease-the difference in dimensions between the body site and the garment/cover at that site, and may be positive or negative (where dimensions of the garment exceed or are less than those of the body, respectively) Evaporative efficiency-the ratio of evaporated sweat (or water) to that produced or supplied [495] Fit-static fit is the 'relationship between garment size and body size' [22], and dynamic fit 'whether the garment allows the body to perform usual tasks without garment interference and resistance' [22] Garment slip-sliding of a garment section from the surface where it is normally positioned in response to movement of the body [32] Skin wettedness-the area of skin surface wetted Tog-a unit of'dry' heat flow across fabrics where 1 tog = 0.1 m" K W~ ' (although the SI unit of thermal resistance is the square-metre kelvin per watt (m~ K W~'), but for practical reasons one tenth of the fundamental unit is used [434] Ventilation (direct ventilation)-the exchange of garment microclimate air with ambient air through openings of the garment itself or those which result from the manner in which it is worn [366]; indirect ventilation^microclimate air which passes through the materials from which the garment assembly is made.…”

“…Existence of relevant data on body dimensions and thus the possibility of creating relevant bivariate frequency tables is assumed, although such data may not be available. In an evaluation of static fit on 38 participants of four types of gloves for agricultural workers dimensions of the glove fingers were typically too long and/or too loose [22]. (Hand dimensions of participants in the fit test were representative of those in the user group, having been confirmed by comparing mean dimensions and standard deviations of key sites.)…”

“…and selected percentile values compared with those of military personnel in Canada and the U.S.A. [22]. No significant differences between the Canadian agricultural workers and the Canadian Downloaded by [University of Otago] at 09: 48 22 July 2015 Textile Progress aircrew were found, although there were significant differences between Canadian agricultural workers and the U.S.A. military, again illustrating problems inherent in using data from one population group as the basis for sizing products (in this instance gloves) for another group.…”

“…however defined (static fit 'the relationship between garment size and body size', dynamic fit 'whether a garment allows the body to perform usual tasks without garment interference and resistance' [22]), is evaluated using rather coarse grading scales. These scales depend on visual evaluation and perceptions of pressure on the body of the wearer/user, and visual evaluation of an external assessor.…”

“…The thumb of the glove was considered poorly located, with the crotch of the thumb not sufficiently deep. Gloves made from thinner materials were more acceptable than those from thicker materials (over the range evaluated 0.30-0.55mm), although thickness was less of an issue when the material from which the glove was made was flexible [22]. Results of an evaluation of d> namic fit undertaken by Tremblay appear to be restricted to the thesis document [21].…”