Case Study: Measuring the Thermal Insulation of Heated Protective Gloves on a Thermal Hand Model

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the thermal insulation of commercial protective gloves with passive and active heating systems considering different simulated temperatures (-15 °C, -10 °C, 0 °C and +5 °C). The insulation parameter was determined on a thermal hand model for two heated gloves supplied with different heat sources (active and passive) according to an originally developed procedure. The results confirmed that the use of an additional heat source (active or passive) makes it possible to obtain higher values of thermal insulation, expressed by a change in the performance level. In addition, the results indicate that active systems are more effective than the passive heat sources tested. The procedure shows how to evaluate the performance of heated products. It was found that active and passive systems differentially follow temperature changes, and thus differ in the levels of thermal insulation provided in the workplace. Depending on the degree of exposure of the worker to a cold environment, it is advisable to wear gloves additionally equipped with passive or active heat sources.