Hand protection gloves: Guaranteeing ultimate safety of your hands

In hazardous workplaces, most works need manual intervention, which puts the hands, fingers, forearm, and palm at risk. Mishandling heavy equipment and sharp machines can cause cuts, lacerations, abrasions, and punctures. In certain workplaces like oil and chemical industries, chemical splashes can lead to allergic reactions, abrasion, skin infection, and diseases. In the worst cases, hand injuries can lead to amputation. To avoid all these possibilities, it is important to wear high-quality hand protection gloves. Well, there is a wide variant of protective gloves present in the market. To ensure maximum protection, it is important to identify the hazards and choose the glove materials accordingly. Here are some important tips in this regard:

· There are many types of hazards present at workplaces, which can be categorized as chemical, biological, and mechanical hazards. For choosing the right variant of gloves, it is important to check the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) provided by the government authorities and various occupational research centers.

· The glove material should be selected on the basis of quantitative information, such as penetration, degradation, permeation rate, breakthrough time, and other considerations, such as temperature and grip requirements. For example, if the workers are more susceptible to chemical hazards, then Latex, Nitrile, PVC, Viton, and Butyl are great protective materials.

· Choosing the right variant of protective gloves should also depend on the level of dexterity required while working. Thicker gloves may provide greater resistance to mechanical and chemical damages, but they impair grip and hamper the speed of workers.

·  If the worker needs to wear gloves throughout the day, then it is important to ensure that they are ergonomically designed. This will ensure that the workers feel more comfortable throughout the day.

· It is important to ensure that the glove material does not cause any allergic reaction. For example, latex and leather gloves can cause allergic reactions in some persons. In that case, it is important to find alternative materials for gloves.

· If required, workers should be provided with two or more variants of gloves for different purposes. For example, a neoprene glove will provide maximum protection against chemical solutions, such as alcohol, hydraulic fluids, and glycol ethers. And, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) will ensure maximum protection against strong acids, bases, salts, and other water solutions.

· Many workers have to expose their hands to extreme temperature conditions. They should be provided with proper cryogenic and thermally insulated gloves. Cryogenic gloves can protect against tissue damage from very cold equipment. And, thermally insulated, leather gloves can be used for handling both hot and cold objects. Aluminized gloves provide good protection against heat from furnace objects and electrical appliances. For those working in moderate temperature conditions, cotton gloves are great as they provide moderate resistance to heat and cold.

· Last but not least, it is important to evaluate whether gloves alone can protect a worker. Some jobs may look simpler but can cause arm injuries. It is important to scrutinize the movements involved in the job. While gloves can protect the hands, if workers’ arms are susceptible to injuries, then it is important to provide them with other personal protective equipment. For example, a cut-resistant sleeve will provide better protection than a shirt sleeve.

Conclusion- While choosing safety gloves for a workplace, it is important to consider every aspect of the task and all the possible hazards present there. The material of the gloves should be comfortable to the wearer. Plus, its design should comprise ergonomic features to allow maximum dexterity and comfort while working.

Sponsor Ads

• Ad Space Available - Rent it Now!

Report this Page

Created on Apr 9th 2020 05:53. Viewed 336 times.

Share on APSense

Comments