SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 30 December 2014
STP158220130158

Evaluation of Ski-Binding-Boot System Safety Using Torque Testing

Source

This study evaluated release torque values for rental ski-binding-boot (S-B-B) systems that had one to four seasons use in a popular New Zealand commercial ski area. The proportions of S-B-B systems in classes of deviation from the reference release moment were determined according to the international equipment safety requirements from ASTM F1063-03, ASTM F1064-03, ASTM F939-06, ISO 13993: 2001, and ISO 11088-2006 (E). A randomly chosen sample of 9 % (124 skis/62 pairs) of S-B-B systems from the total ski rental fleet was tested using a Wintersteiger calibration machine. There were a high percentage of Class I deviations in the rental fleet: 50 % (2 seasons), 95 % (3 seasons), and 64 % (4 seasons). Class 1 deviations do not require corrective action; however, increased sampling is indicated. Based on the high percentage of Class I deviations the entire fleet should be inspected. Class II deviations that required immediate corrective action were found in 48 % of the S-B-B with two seasons of use. Only 8 % of the rental fleet had Class III deviations warranting removal from the rental fleet. The heel-pieces of S-B-B systems that had two or more seasons of use were nine times more likely to be out of tolerance than those with only one season of use; however, there was only a small increase in the proportion of toe-pieces out of tolerance for older compared to newer S-B-B systems. These differences may be due to age or to different models of S-B-B systems. The policy of retiring ski rental equipment after three or four seasons of use appears to be inadequate to ensure the supply of safe equipment.

Author Information

Costa-Scorse, Brenda, A.
Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), AUT Univ., Auckland, NZ
Hopkins, Will, G.
Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), AUT Univ., Auckland, NZ
Bahr, Roald
Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Dept. of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NO
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Details
Developed by Committee: F27
Pages: 1–8
DOI: 10.1520/STP158220130158
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7610-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7609-6