1. KONG
KONG GLOVE
Impact Protection Study Summary
Performed by the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee — Ergonomics Department
Purpose of the Study
This study was designed to evaluate the level of impact protection
provided by the KONG glove, in relation to work hazards that can
cause serious injury and lost work time. Typical impact injuries
include bruises, hairline fractures and broken bones.
Summary of Results
▄ The KONG glove successfully reduced the force of impacts to the
fingers, knuckles and back of the hand, providing protection to all of
the bones and joints of the hand.
▄ During simulated crushing accidents, the KONG glove reduced the
pressure on the hand by 34 to 54%.
▄ During simulated impact accidents, the KONG glove reduced the
impact force on the hand by 76 to 91%.
▄ While wearing KONG gloves, hands and fingers are protected from
impact forces that are up to 4 times higher than what would normally
cause a bone fracture.
Background
Many working environments involve a great deal of impact
hazards – oil and gas drilling, railways, mining, manufacturing and
industrial maintenance are a few examples. The KONG line of gloves
was specifically designed to provide enhanced impact protection for
every bone and joint in the hand. This includes the following structures:
▄ Metacarpals (bones on the back of the hand).
▄ Medial, intermediate and distal phalanges (bones of the fingers and thumb).
▄ Metacarpo-phalangeal joints (commonly referred to as the knuckles).
▄ Inter-phalangeal joints (joints of the fingers and thumb).
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2. KONG
Impact Protection Study Summary
Performed by the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee — Ergonomics Department
Continued from previous page...
Background
In this study, both ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ impacts were evaluated:
▄ Slow impacts, such as when a hand or finger is caught in a press
or stuck under a heavy piece of equipment. Typically referred to as
crushing accidents.
▄ Fast impacts, such as when a hand or finger is struck by a falling tool,
hit by a heavy pipe, or struck by a piece of moving equipment.
This represents a wide range of impacts that cause serious hand injuries.
All tests were performed by measuring the pressure or force applied
to a simulated human hand, with and without the KONG glove on the
hand. These measurements were evaluated to determine the reduction
in applied pressure or force when wearing the KONG glove. All tests
were performed at forces which are known to cause bone fractures.
Slow Impact [Crush] Protection
Test:
Increasing force was applied by a digitally controlled press to the
simulated hand, with and without the KONG glove. The force was
applied to three zones of the hand: fingers, knuckles, and back of the
hand. The force was increased from 20 to 340 lbs (100 to 1500 N).
Pressure on the hand was measured with and without the KONG glove
at each level of force.
Results:
The greater the force applied by the press, the greater the percent
reduction in pressure that was transmitted to the hand, when wearing
the KONG glove.
ie, hand protection got better as the force of the press increased.
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3. KONG
Impact Protection Study Summary
Performed by the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee — Ergonomics Department
Continued from previous page...
Slow Impact [Crush] Protection
Maximum applied force from the press was 340 pounds.
At maximum force, the transmitted pressure applied to the hand was
reduced by the following amounts, when wearing the KONG glove:
▄ 42% reduction in pressure to the Fingers
▄ 34% reduction in pressure to the Knuckles
▄ 54% reduction in pressure to the Back of the Hand
Fast Impact Protection
To better simulate reaction to impacts, a ‘Ballistic Hand Manikin’ was
created. Typically used in ballistics and impact testing, a ballistic manikin
simulates the skeleton, muscle, fat and skin of the human anatomy.
Test:
An impact blow was delivered to the ballistic hand manikin in three
zones: fingers, knuckles, and back of the hand.
The force of the impact was within the range known to cause bone
fractures in human hands. This range, as found in previous medical
studies, is 450 to 900 lbs (2000 to 4000 N) of Impact Force. Note that
Impact Force is a function of weight, drop height and amount of contact
time on the glove.
Results:
The peak force transmitted to the hand was reduced by the following
amounts, when wearing the KONG glove:
▄ 76% reduction in peak force to the Fingers
▄ 91% reduction in peak force to the Knuckles
▄ 80% reduction in peak force to the Back of the Hand
How this relates to impact injuries:
The KONG glove reduced the impact forces by 76 to 91%. Thus hands and
fingers are protected from injuries when subjected to impacts that are
4 times higher than what would normally cause a bone fracture.
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