© KAN
Test fingers are used to determine whether enclosures of electrical equipment provide adequate protection against access by the fingers to hazardous parts. For this reason, test fingers must be modelled on a human finger. The current measurements are based on data that are almost 60 years old. The length of 80 mm in particular no longer corresponds to reality.
The next periodic review of IEC 61032 is scheduled for 2023, and the draft for comments is expected this autumn. The ISO 7250 series of standards contains worldwide, up-to-date anthropometric data. In the expert discussion, it was agreed that KAN should make its proposal for lengthening the test finger available to the responsible committee, ISO/TC 70, as the position of the German OSH lobby, since the German mirror committee sees no need for action at this time, and other IEC members can thereby also be informed of the situation. An international workshop with experts from the IEC standards body would enable KAN and DKE to raise awareness of the subject.
A change to the test finger would affect products first placed on the market after the end of the national transitional period. It would affect only products with an opening of 12 mm or more and on which a hazard is determined by means of the new test finger.