Clearview National February 2016 - Issue 171 | Page 23

INDUSTRYNEWS

The Revolution in Knee Protection
»»Knee injuries are
commonplace among both
installers and tradespeople in
general. Sore and swollen knee
joints are something that they
all suffer from at one time or
another. It’s a perennial problem
and highly aggravating, but
prevention is far easier than cure
by taking the proper steps to look
after your knees.
The knee is one of the largest
and most complex joints in the
body and there are different types
injuries that are of particular
concern to anyone who works on
their knees.
The most common is probably
Housemaid’s Knee or Bursitis,
which is caused by kneeling
for long periods of time or by
repetitive knee movements such
as crouching down and standing
up. Fluid builds up in the Bursa
- which is the sack of fluid that
cushions the knee joints – causing
swelling, soreness and stiffness in
the joint.

So what is the
answer?
Effective knee protection on site
is, as you might expect, covered by
EU legislation.
The EN 14404 Knee Protection
Standard deals with the size,
force-distribution and penetrationresistance of kneepads.
Type 2, Level 1 protection
ensures reliable knee protection
for craftsmen in a mobile working
environment that involves regular
kneeling to perform their job.This
protection level is designed to
protect the knees in all types of
working environments with rough,
hard and damp surfaces from small
objects and debris up to 1 cm.
The Type 2, Level 0 standard
designates effective knee protection
for craftsmen who need to work
on their knees indoors – but only
occasionally. Designed to protect
the knees on flat surfaces.

There have been various types
of knee guards over the years.
Strap-on pads that cut into the
back of your knees, foam rubber
mats and basic protection.
But effective protection really
only comes from a kneeguard
system that has been thoroughly
researched, tested and
manufactured using materials that
perform to the highest standard
day in, day out.

‘proven to last
twice as long as
other kneepads’
The most effective kneepads
have to work efficiently and in
tandem with the work trousers
they’re used with, staying in
precisely the right position to
ensure reliable knee protection.
That is exactly what you’ll get
with a properly designed knee
guard positioning system.
Properly designed kneepad
pockets should include special
seams that allow you to adjust
your kneepads into different
positions to ensure superior
knee protection.
Effective kneepads should
also feature a hard-wearing
materials on the outside edges
and softer materials in the
centre to combine efficient

pressure distribution and
protection against sharp and
rough objects with maximum
comfort.
The design should also feature
high sides to prevent your knees
from sliding off the kneepads.
This design approach will also
ensure the kneepads extremely
flexible when you walk, while
closing around your knees when
you kneel down.

Most workwear
manufacturers supply kneepads
for their Work Trousers.
They vary in price, quality and
effectiveness. For instance,
you can now get a pair of
rubber kneepads for as little
as a £3.99 in a UK high street
supermarket. It will come as no
surprise to most that they have
no guarantee of comfort or
protection.
However, the more discerning
tradespeople – those particularly
concerned with their health and
welfare on site – will be more
interested in the world’s first
‘active’ kneepads that are proven
to last twice as long as other
kneepads and take cutting-edge
knee protection to a completely
new level with the revolutionary
D3O® materials.

High-tech D3O®
material
D3O® is an active and specially
engineered rubbery material
comprising intelligent molecules
which ‘flow’ with you as you move.
On shock they lock together
to absorb the impact energy to
provide high-frequency protection.
The durable D3O® material
also features an extremely slow
compression rate, ensuring that
the kneepads keep their shape
during hard work and over a long
period of time.

‘best, long lasting
knee protection’
And, given that knees are not
flat, the shape of kneepads with
the D3O® material is important.
That’s why kneepads with an
ergonomic, pre-bent design that
makes the kneepad close around
your knee when kneeling.
So, when you work a lot on
your knees, this material w ill give
you by far the best, long lasting
knee protection available.
www.snickersworkwear.co.uk

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