1oTrimestre09 | PROTECCIÓN LABORAL 58 Productos de actualidad / Updated Products PowerFlex® 80-658 cut resistant Ansell Healthcare, specialist in barrier protection solutions, in October 2008 presented the new PowerFlex® 80-658 cut resis- tant glove. The new product, intended for jobs with high risk of cuts during the handling of glass, garbage collection and metal recycling, is the first partially covered glove, with level 5 cut resis- tance, which offers extra forearm protection with its longer cuff. According to EU statistics, 5% of all accidents in the EU involve injuries to the upper extremities and mean over 6 months off work or permanent incapacity. Lacerations in the wrist area, which is so vulnerable, are frequent and may carry with them vascular problems, and even the “spaghetti” wrist injury in extreme cases. To prevent these risks, the long cuff of the Power- Flex® 80-658 glove covers the wrist and part of the forearm, offer- ing additional protection to the vital radial artery. This is possible because a size 9 PowerFlex® 80-658 glove is 290mm long. With reference to the product features, Marcel Willems, Marketing Director of Ansell Occupational Healthcare, explains that “we want- ed this coated fabric glove to be the best in terms of cut resistance and safety. We believe that having extended the fabric as far as the forearm, many injuries are avoided. During Ansell’s GuardianSM audits, at thousands of work stations in manufacturing plants worldwide, workers have put forward numerous demands for level 5 anti-cut protection, plus protection for the back of the hand and protection for the forearm.” The three-layer thread construction of the PowerFlex® 80-658 model is made up of steel, glass fiber and Kevlar® in an exclusive combination which exceeds level 5 cut resistance in the different trials carried out. The incorporation of cotton insulates the skin from direct contact with the cut resistant threads, creating a much softer and more comfortable glove than many cut resistant mod- els. The fabric lining maintains its properties after washing and is highly abrasion resistant (level X). Another of the PPE’s strong points is the finish with partial cover- ing, which gives additional protection on the finger tips, which is where it is most needed during the handling of metal or glass sheeting. The rugged latex coating of the glove guarantees opti- mum grip when dry and splinter protection, its liquid repellent quality gives the user total protection from water-based contami- nants. In trials carried out at important glass factories and facili- ties for recycling metal residues, it has been backed by the great satisfaction of workers with the protection against cuts offered by the glove. The manufacturer has created a glove offer of superior protection. The PowerFlex® range includes three other coated fabric gloves for general use, which combine comfort with magnificent grip both dry and damp. They are the PowerFlex® 80-100 (designed PowerFlex® 80-602 PowerFlex® 80-400 for optimum productivity and safety in the construction, trans- port and dispatch and receipt of merchandise sectors), and the PowerFlex®+ 80-602 (glove with great cut resistance and rugged general performance for handling glass, metal and plastics). The colored model PowerFlex® T° Hi Viz YellowTM 80-400 has been specifically designed for workers in refrigerated stores at temperatures down to -30°C. It represents an alternative to the fur lined leather gloves, being a model that has proved its suitability for tasks such as public maintenance, construction, garbage col- lection, transport-delivery of merchandise, internal refrigeration and refrigeration plants.