A Safety Glove for Heroes from SEIZ
60,000 members of THW Technisches Hilfswerk (German Urban Search and Rescue Association) are better protected thanks to the new safety glove manufactured by SEIZ that incorporates DuPont™ Kevlar® and DuPont™ Nomex® fibres.
Having contributed aid at some of the world’s most notable disasters, members of THW know the importance of having the correct protective clothing when volunteering in a disaster. Rescue workers from the voluntary organisation have been faced with many hostile environments including the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
It is these environments that make it necessary for the rescue workers to be fitted with the correct personal protective apparel, including gloves. THW put out a Europe-wide tender to supply its 60,000 members with a multi-functional protective glove. The glove needed to offer protection against all eventualities as rescuers handle different materials or substances and can be exposed to a vast array of situations from varying weather conditions to sharp, rough and hot surfaces, which unavoidably have to be dealt with in case of emergency.
Multi-functional protection
It was the multi-functionality of the glove by SEIZ that satisfied the requirements of THW to withstand all hazards the rescue workers could potentially be exposed to. Speaking about the new tender, Rainer Seiz, owner and head designer of Friedrich Seiz GmbH, said: “From the very start of our conceptual work it had been clear that only high end performing material combined with up-to-date sandwich design technology would enable us to meet all the properties described in the tender”. The Germany-based company, SEIZ, is renowned for producing tailor-made hand protection solutions for fire fighters, police and diverse industries.
The glove incorporates Kevlar® and Nomex® fibres that increase its multi-functional properties. Due to the inner lining of Kevlar®, a high level of cut resistance is achieved. The back of the glove is made of a flame resistant fabric that combines Nomex® with an applied felt made of Kevlar® that increases the safety against contact heat, perforation and cuts. On top of this, the glove provides good abrasion properties and water repellence.
Low weight, high dexterity
As well as its multi-functional protective properties the SEIZ-THW glove presents itself as a low-weight champion at only 150 grams with high dexterity qualities that enable a tight grip on tools, such as hammers, screw drivers and wrenches, as well as easy handling of technical equipment like plugs and computers. The lightweight glove provides maximum comfort for the rescue workers whilst still offering the highest level of protection in many environments.
DuPont™ Kevlar® – the key to success
Whenever outstanding cut resistance is required, the Kevlar® brand fibre is the key to success. Extremely tear-resistant Kevlar® offers a manifold of strength as well as maintaining its mechanical performance up to temperatures as high as 320°C.
The overall versatility of this high-tech all-rounder has raised the bar of hand protection and comfort to a new height. Rainer Seiz hints: “The unique combination of dexterity and temperature isolation of the SEIZ-THW glove might even stir skiers’ blood”.
