1erTrimestre12 | PROTECCIÓN LABORAL 70 PPE: materials, machinery and techniques for their production Gore: First Crosstech glove inserts with X-Trafit Product Technology for Technical Rescue Whether they are attending search or rescue incidents, pumping water out of flooded basements or repai- ring damage caused by severe weather, during technical rescue operations today’s firefighters are often exposed to a wide spec- trum of dangers. This can include exposure to water, chemicals, contaminated liquids, mechanical strain or contact with blood and other body fluids. Firefighters’ gloves there- fore need to provide as much protection as possible against all potential risks. At the same time such gloves also need to offer fire- fighters a high degree of tactility and a firm grip so that they can effectively operate com- plicated equipment. There are not yet any EU-wide standards which regulate the requirements for protec- tive gloves for technical rescue operations. In order to determine the performance requirements of a certain type of glove buy- ers typically conduct a risk assessment to evaluate the risks to firefighters’ safety and health from the work that is to be carried out with the gloves. Gore, manufacturer of the world-famous functional fabrics, is presenting a new product solution: the Crosstech glove insert with X-Trafit Product Technology for Tech- nical Rescue. This solution provides exten- sive protection and comfort combined with optimised tactility, in one protective glove. Crosstech glove inserts Protective gloves with Crosstech glove inserts provide the solution if a risk assess- ment of the prospective technical rescue operations identifies the need for durable protection against blood and body fluids. Crosstech glove inserts offer a reliable, breathable barrier against blood and body fluids and are certified in accordance with standard ISO 16604. For this certification the membrane and seams of the inserts are tested for their resistance to bloodborne pathogens using the bacteriophage PHI-X174 – both when they are new and after accelerated aging (washing and drying cycles in accordance with ISO 6330, 3AE). Furthermore, Crosstech glove inserts are resistant to penetration by liquid chemicals in accordance with ISO 13994. These chem- icals include battery acid, hydraulic fluid, petroleum, concentrated chlorine solutions, fire-extinguishing foam and other contam- inated liquids. The inserts are also breath- able and durably waterproof – even after contamination and washing. As a result the firefighters’ hands remain permanently protected and comfortably dry. X-Trafit Product Technology The use of X-Trafit Product Technology allows for an excellent combination of pro- tective properties and enhanced perfor- mance in terms of tactility, grip and wear- er comfort. The centrepiece of this technology is the glove-shaped, single-layer Crosstech membrane insert. This insert is exceptionally thin and extremely hard- wearing; its sealed seams are soft, supple and barely noticeable. The full surface of this single-layer membrane insert is fully bonded to the inner lining and durably connected to the outer shell of the protec- tive glove. This construction achieves sub- stantially improved tactility and a firm grip, prevents slippage between the individ- ual layers of the glove and makes for easier donning and doffing. This greatly increases the wearer’s precision and speed in all res- cue situations. Protective gloves equipped with Crosstech glove inserts with X-Trafit- Product Technology for Technical Rescue meet the requirements of the Pegboard Test in accordance with ASTM F2010, a test method of the NFPA 1951 for the evalua- tion of protective glove effects on tactility in technical rescue incidents. 81