Just to clarify:
The test is not needed to show that the face guards are safe for the wearer, this is already covered by other standards, but that they are safe for other unprotected players in the event of a collision. They only want to look at face guard to head contact but that contact...
That is what the IHF is trying to do, impose a ban on certain face guards but to do that they need a simple test that can be applied by manufacturers and the sports governing bodies that says which face guards are safe and which are not. The test needs to be backed up by a scientific study...
Thanks Andy, we already test to similar standards but these are for the wearer of the face guard as opposed to the effects the face guard has on an unprotected player.
The mask shown above is actually designed for a cricket wicket keeper but is being used by field hockey players to protect...
Yes in a way. The face guards are actually separate items that do not come attached to a helmet, in effect just a mask. They are not designed to protect the wearers head just their face. There are already methods for checking the protection given to the wearer from ball or stick strikes but...
Trying to determine the "Safe" properties of Face Guards
I work in a sports science laboratory and I've been set the task of trying to create a simple and inexpensive test to determine which face guards are safe when two field hockey players clash heads (one wearing a face guard the other...