Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
Issue link: https://digital.thesafetymag.com/i/353330
April 2014 23 Some new gloves also include touch screen capability. These can be useful for workers who regularly need to access documents on a smartphone or iPad device, so they can complete these tasks without removing their gloves. This not only makes it easier for the worker, but reduces the likeli- hood of an injury. INVOLVE WORKERS Because comfort and dexterity are important to workers' overall safety, they should be involved in both glove selection and trials, and the glove manufacturer should be willing to help with an assessment and offer training for workers. As with any type of PPE, training is important — so workers understand why a particular control is being used, how they can properly maintain their gloves, how they can identify if a glove is no longer working, and when to dis- pose of or replace their gloves. "They have to have a good understanding of why this control is put in place and why it's in their best interest to use it," says Liddy. In some cases, it's necessary to have a competent person inspect the gloves on a regular or even daily basis (say, if the gloves are meant to protect against radiation). But all workers should be trained on how to maintain their gloves according to the manufacturer's spec- ifi cations and intended use, and be able to do daily inspections so they know if something is "off." It's also the responsibility of employers to train their workers on the limitations of gloves and what could happen if they fail. With the newer high-tech materi- als and more ergonomic designs on the market, workers can get the best of both worlds — safety and comfort. Vawn Himmelsbach is a freelance writer based in Toronto. She can be reached at vawn_h@yahoo.ca. muscles," says Jason Kokoszka, senior product/brand marketing manager of industrial, North America, for Ansell, based in Iselin, N.J. And, if workers are fatigued, there's a good chance they'll take their gloves off and go back to the job bare handed, he adds. New technologies such as moisture management and enhanced dexterity are helping to combat hand injuries, such as carpel tunnel syndrome. For example, Ansell uses knitting tech- nology that allows the glove to better conform to the hand and then hold the fi t. MATCH GLOVE TO JOB Every job is different and carries its own unique hazards, says Fisher. Dif- ferent gloves are available to address a variety of safety requirements — everything from cut, abrasion and impact protection to grip require- ments and resistance to chemicals, liquids and fi re. That's why doing an assessment is critical, and this is where manufacturers can help (as does CCOHS's website). "Our territory managers go out into workplaces and… do a hand protec- tion evaluation to understand what the application is, what type of protec- tion they need, (and) how long they're wearing the glove," says Kokoszka. Gloves are generally designed for specifi c industries, although there is some crossover. A glove designed for oil and gas applications, for example, will incorporate impact protection as well as good oil grip into the glove, whereas the design of a glove for glass handling will incorporate cut resis- tance and good grip, says Geng. When working with abrasive materi- als or sharp edges, the protective material will vary, depending on the hazard. If you're working with mildly abrasive materials, rubber, plastic or nylon gloves may be suitable, whereas if you're working with more severe abrasive materials, you may require reinforced heavy rubber or staple-rein- forced heavy leather. For paper-cuts, a lightweight polyester or cotton glove might be suitable, while dangerous sharp edges may require metal mesh. If you're working with sheet metal, you want something that protects against sharp edges, but also pro- vides grip. There's a lubricant on sheet metal that helps when unloading it, but that can become slippery, says Kokoszka, so a grip coating on the glove is helpful. When working with chemicals, pick- ing the right glove is especially critical; a particular material may protect you against one chemical, but not another. Some chemicals will penetrate through nitrile latex in a short period of time, while in other cases, the same material could protect you for hours, says Liddy. The material that's appropriate for a particular task may also be affected by longevity of exposure. Consider whether a worker is going to be exposed to a chemical for 30 seconds or if she's dipping her arm into it for hours. "Suggested materials should be selected based on quantitative infor- mation such as permeation rate, breakthrough time, penetration and degradation," according to the CCOHS. Does the glove have the protection needed for the job (such as cut resistance, heat protection or impact protection)? How durable is it? Ask for the results of contact wear trials and abrasion tests from your glove manufacturer. Is it comfortable with the dexterity required to do the job? TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT GLOVE ™ tHE PROSPECT 2711 OL'LADY 2712 HOT ROD 2713 FULL PATCH 2714 WHAT THE BUCK 263aw DR. FEEL GOOD 526aw watsongloves.com 1.800.663.9509 Anarchy Welding Ad_COS.indd 1 2014-02-26 9:14 AM