Get a Grip: Hand Protection Matters
Welcome to this week's safety topic. Hand protection workers' hands are constantly in use and many workplaces are full of potential hazards that can cause hand injuries. It can be easy to overlook the importance of protective equipment for your hands. So let's discuss a few considerations and precautions to help prevent accidents and injuries.
Gloves are often the most common type of protection against hand injuries. And they can protect against many of those hazards. Some of the most common reasons a person wears gloves are to protect the hands from lacerations and punctures, electrical shock, corrosive or toxic chemicals, vibrations, biohazards abrasions, impacts chemical and thermal temperature burns, and many others.
What to look for in the right glove, while some of the features you need to look for are determined by the type of risk you're exposed to, one feature is universal. They must fit and move well. Or at least well enough to perform the task at hand. Gloves that don't fit well can impede necessary movements and create more problems than they solve.
Determine what you are protecting you or your workers' hands from. This will help you determine the type of gloves you want to use or provide. Of course, some gloves serve multiple needs. For example, chemically resistant gloves may also offer protection against abrasions or cuts, and you may need to make multiple considerations.
Many work environments such as construction sites, warehouses, industrial workplaces, and apartment communities or buildings, pulls multiple hand hazards at any given time. So many tasks can injure your hands, such as rough and abrasive surfaces, knives, hand tools, carpet installation, replacing a light fixture or fan using solvents and greases, pressure washers, equipment, and other tools.
For these environments, you'll want gloves that allow for movement. Have a solid grip and are durable enough that everyone will wear them every time they should. Will you or your workers need hand and arm protection? PPE? If so, look into longer gloves that cover your forearms or the entire length of the arms and match them to the task.
How much of a grip or friction do workers need? Some gloves offer an extra grip material or material that allows for a good grip when exposed to oils or other slippery surfaces. Or substances. There are also partially dipped, half dipped, and fully dipped Gloves to choose from. Do the gloves need to be waterproof or water resistant?
Is the work environment cold? Is it hot? Think through the various jobs and circumstances you may experience and find the gloves that are best suited for the task cut resistance gloves, they're for tasks that offer cut resistance. There are many options in this niche and category, so it's important to understand the standards and resistant levels.
Of cut resistant gloves to know which ones you need. Of course, it also helps to start with the safest knives and tools and practices. Gloves for chemical resistance anywhere workers or you may handle dangerous chemicals. Gloves that protect against specific chemicals that you are exposed to are a must.
Never use gloves with holes or excessive wear. Getting chemicals trapped inside a glove can be as harmful or worse than having no glove at all. Maintenance and access gloves that are in disrepair have no place in your PPE wardrobe or inventory. Make sure you regularly check the conditions of the gloves and replace them as needed.
Access is also a consideration if a worker in the gloves are far away from each other. The likelihood of that person taking the time to get the gloves diminishes greatly. So make sure the gloves are near the work area anytime. Barriers to entry. To get to the right PPE are reduced. It increases the chances of workers staying protected.
Stay apprised of new technology and what's new in the marketplace. Manufacturers continually look for ways to improve glove technologies, try new products, provide feedback, give a glove presentation to the workers or your teammates to inform them about what's new on the market and what gloves to use for different circumstances.
The more involved and educated you. And your team are about hand protection, PPE, the greater chances hand injuries will be reduced or eliminated. In summary, identify the type of work you'll be doing. Know what gloves will provide the best protection and use them. Make sure all gloves are in good working condition.
Replace any gloves that no longer provide protection. Always seek guidance and training when needed. Most importantly, work safe. Stay safe, and thanks for watching and listening to this episode.
