| The goals of this study were to evaluate the glovebox gloves and recommend design/selection guidelines to offer the desired hand protection against ergonomic-related risk factors without compromising hand performance. Three commercially available glovebox gloves, namely butyl, hypalon, and neoprene in 0.015" and 0.03" thickness, were evaluated objectively and subjectively to establish guidelines to minimize the effects on hand performances. Task simulations for roller, tweezers, and wrench were performed to estimate the mechanical stress to establish guidelines to optimize protection. Glove properties were also measured and their strengths of association with objective hand performance and contact forces were tested. In addition, the effects of gloving conditions on objective hand performance and mechanical stress were evaluated.;The results indicated that the gloved hands decrease grip strength and impair subjective hand performances. Gloved hands also increased mechanical stress compared to bare hand at the index finger for roller tasks, at the thumb and index finger for tweezers tasks, and at the middle finger for wrench tasks. In addition, gloved hands decrease mechanical stress compared to bare hand at the ring finger for roller tasks where.;Butyl and hypalon materials retain better grip strength than neoprene material. Butyl material performed best in subjective hand performances. Hypalon material decreased the mechanical stress compared to neoprene material and butyl material for roller and wrench tasks, respectively. In addition, neoprene material decreased mechanical stress compared to butyl material for tweezers tasks. Thin gloves retain better hand performances compared to thick gloves. Thin gloves also decreased mechanical stress compared to thick gloves for roller and wrench tasks. Single gloving retained better grip strength. Single gloving also recorded lowest mechanical stress at the ring finger for roller tasks. However, triple gloving recorded lowest mechanical stress at the thumb and the index and middle fingers for roller tasks. Triple gloving also recorded lowest mechanical stress for tweezers and wrench tasks.;The "Glovebox Design/Selection" software package has been created to facilitate the users to find the "best design" and "quick selection" guidelines for tool (s) to accomplish the desired hand protection without compromising the hand performances. |
