Police force manual handling and protective clothing

Solution

MHE Manual Handling Kit

Benefits

• Accurate measurement of applied forces under real operational conditions.
• Supports ongoing review and modification of JRFT benchmarks as standards evolve.
• A highly adaptable system used to evaluate forces experienced by personnel during suspect restraint and handling of operational equipment. The recorded data contributes directly to defining minimum strength requirements for active-duty officers.

Requirement

A leading police organization requires all recruits to successfully complete a ‘Job-Related Fitness Test’ (JRFT) to confirm their ability to meet the physical demands of duty. Personnel in specialized roles, such as armed units, are subject to periodic reassessment to maintain operational readiness. Standardized guidance frameworks define baseline requirements, often including endurance evaluation through a ‘Multi-stage Fitness Test’ (MSFT), commonly known as the bleep test.

In addition to endurance, strength capability is a critical component of assessment. Officers must demonstrate sufficient dynamic strength to manage real-world tasks such as restraining individuals and operating heavy equipment, including the following:

• Weaponry,
• Door breaching tools and
• Protective gear.

The dynamic strength component involves controlled pushing and pulling actions, typically performed on dedicated resistance equipment, with qualification thresholds reviewed periodically to reflect updated operational demands.

Historically, pass criteria were derived from generalized population strength data segmented by age and gender. More recent approaches emphasize task-specific measurement, focusing on actual forces encountered in the field. Such transformation needs portable, durable, and easy-to-use force measurement systems. The accuracy of the traditional devices, based in the lab, was not practical to be deployed to the field, as they are delicate and complicated, and a more durable and self-sustaining device is necessary.

Solution

Presto Stantest provides a Manual Handling Evaluation Kit designed for field-based force measurement across a wide range of applications. The system combines a high-capacity digital force gauge and an ergonomically constructed dual-handle system that has the potential of measuring the push and pull forces in a realistic working environment.

The kit has several detachable components that include hooks, compression pads, and extension chains to make measurements in different orientations and where the environment is restricted. Rugged construction, coupled with safeguarding casing and user-friendly controls, makes it reliable in field conditions of hard use.

Beyond fitness assessment, the system is also applied to evaluate interaction forces between personnel and protective equipment. For instance, it can quantify the load exerted by stab-resistant vests during different movement conditions, including stationary posture, walking, and rapid motion.

Test equipment

MHE Manual Handling Kit 2500 N