Canadian Occupational Safety

June/July 2016 23 TOOLS OF THE TRADE HAND PROTECTION BIODEGRADABLE The Showa 4552 is a bio- degradable, synthetic work glove. The multi-purpose glove offers hand protec- tion, powerful grip and biodegradability, without sacrifi cing performance. The Showa 4552 uses the company's unique eco best technology (EBT) within both the 15-gauge, seam- less lightweight liner and the sponge-nitrile coating. Without the EBT additive, nitrile can take decades, if not hundreds of years to biodegrade and break down in landfi ll, whereas the biodegradation rate of the Showa 4552 is typically within 24 months. The EBT organic additive is designed to make the glove attractive to microbial activity in landfi ll. Upon con- sumption of the EBT formulation, micro-organisms excrete enzymes that depolymerize the nitrile and polyester liner. The result is biogases and nitrous soil. The grip glove protects hands from oils, dirt, grease and abrasion when carrying out manufacturing assembly work, machine servicing, refuse collec- tion, warehousing and logistics. The nitrile-coated palm provides excellent grip in all conditions and the glove retains its grip in oily conditions, accord- ing to the manufacturer. Showa 4552 gloves are very durable with certifi cation to EN 388: level 4. www.showagloves.com BARELY THERE Superior Glove's ultrafine 18-gauge Kevlar-blended knit gloves offer the fi t and feel of bare hands, but the tightly knit engineered yarn offers high levels of cut protection. The fabrication of these gloves allows the user to experience dexterity like never before, says the manufacturer, which is per- fect for precise and delicate operations, yet tough enough for general construction applications. Don't be fooled by the lightweight look and feel — these gloves offer ASTM level 3 for both cut and abra- sion. Adding a layer of protection to a cut-resistant, string-knit glove gives the user the same comfort and cut protection, but with a lot more possibility. The polyurethane palm coating on this glove has been designed in a way that maintains the glove's dexterity while providing a better grip, and it even offers ASTM level 2 puncture protection on the palm. www.superiorglove.com POWERFUL, SOFT The Rhino-Lite from Tilsatec Canada packs a powerful punch for such a soft, comfortable glove, says the manu- facturer. The 10-gauge, lightweight, seamless knitted liner has a cool-to-the- touch feel against the skin, allowing it to be worn all day long with superb dexterity and touch sensitiv- ity. The seamless knitted liner provides a close fi t for picking and fi tting small pieces and parts and is ideal for assembly, automotive, metal fabrication, white goods and glass handling. The polyurethane palm coating provides outstanding grip and abra- sion resistance to withstand continuous material handling and wear. At 2,294 grams CPPT (cut protec- tion performance test), Rhino-Lite achieves ANSI A5 cut resistance classifi cation, under the 2016 revised ANSI/ISEA 105 standard. www.tilsatec-rhino.com OHS PRODUCTS WIRELESS NOISE DOSIMETER Casella's dBadge2 wireless noise dosime- ter has gained intrinsic safety certifi cation for use in industries that operate in highly explosive environments, includ- ing oil and gas, petrochemical and pharmaceutical. The new Casella dBadge2 is incapable of igniting an explosion even under fault conditions. It is certifi ed for class I, zone 0 hazardous locations. Equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, the dBadge2 lets users wirelessly control multiple units from distances of up to 100 feet away, including starting, pausing or stopping noise sampling, even without a clear line of sight between devices. They can then transmit real- time noise exposure data via their intrinsically safe mobile devices from the most hazardous zones of their operations to off-site managers. The shoulder- mounted, cable-free dBadge2 captures every metric needed to satisfy noise exposure regulatory require- ments globally, while dramatically reducing the time and costs typically associated with personal noise monitoring, says the manufacturer. www.casellausa.com INSTANT FOAM Deb InstantFOAM Complete is a broad spectrum foam hand sanitizer that kills up to 99.9999 per cent of many types of germs. The extra 9s could prove criti- cal in the prevention of transmitting potentially deadly infections, says Deb Group. The product has been created for critical hand hygiene situations where closed or semi-closed quarters may increase the likelihood of outbreaks, such as cruise ships, health-care facilities and within the food industry. The perfume-free and dye-free alcohol-based liquid is dispensed as soft-structured foam and designed to be used without water. The sanitizer is highly effective against a wide range of potential threats, while its moisturizing agents leave the skin feeling smooth after use. The foam does not run off the hands and does not contain gelling agents that leave the hands feeling sticky. www.debgroup.com FR LAB COAT Workrite Uniform Company has launched a new lab coat that includes both flame resistant (FR) properties and chemical splash protection (CP). The comfortable and convenient Workrite FR/CP Lab Coat provides protection against short-duration ther- mal incidents and emergency exposure to fl ame, while wicking inadvertent liquid chemical splashes. The lab coat is lightweight, durable and UL certifi ed to NFPA 2112. Available in cuts for both men and women, the lab coat's other key features include: splash-resistant pass-throughs; FR knit cuts that offer improved safety over typical open-cuff designs; a concealed snap-front closure; a black lay-down collar to indicate chemical splash protection; and three pockets, including two lower pockets with snap-front closures. www.workritefrcp.com RESPIRATORY PROTECTION FLAT- FOLDED MASK FlickIt is an i n n o v a t i v e l y designed fl at-folded mask by Ronco with an open- ing system that enables the user to put on the mask without contaminating any component of it. The foldable design also helps the user store the mask safely for reuse later. The large surface of the FlickIt mask guarantees greater coverage of the user's face and allows for a lower breathing resistance. The nose-clip is internal, placed between two layers of fabric, reducing the exposed metal parts. It is ready to use in just one move. The individually packaged and pocket-sized masks offer greater convenience and improved hygiene for the user. The masks are 100 per cent latex-free and provide effective protec- tion against non-volatile solid and liquid particles (dust, mist and fumes). They are available in valved and non-valved options. www.ronco.ca 1-STEP Louis M. Gerson Co. offers an inexpensive, disposable respirator that is NIOSH OV/P95 approved for organic vapours as well as solid and oil aerosols use. The Gerson Signature One-Step Disposable Cartridge Respirator is recommended for paint spray applications, oil-based paints and pesticides. It's also usable with isocyanates when used in accor- dance with the user's change-out schedule. It comes completely assembled for ease of use and is individ- ually packed in custom retail-designed, re-sealable, four-colour foil bags. Because the respirator is pre- assembled and disposable, the cartridges are not replaceable. The worker simply uses the respirator until the life of the cartridge is spent, then throws it away and opens a new one. Each of the face pieces comes with a bonus "hygiene guard" for clean stor- age and product protection. www.gersonco.com TIGHT FACE, LOOSE HEAD Sundstrom's SR 500 system is a belt- mounted powered air-purifying respi- rator (PAPR) with tight-fi tting face pieces and loose-fi tting head gear that protects against particulates, gases and vapours. It is designed to be used in oxygen-suffi cient and non-immediately dangerous to life and health environments. The SR 500 PAPR system functions as an alternative to air purifying respirators (APR) in all situations for which these are recommended. The above-atmospheric pressure generated prevents surrounding pollutants from penetrating into the breathing zone. Typical applications include asbes- tos, mould and lead paint abatement; construction and building renovation and demolition; food and beverage processing; pulp and paper processing; and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The PAPR is lightweight with a balanced and ergonomic design and has a triple warning system (audio, visual and vibration). www.srsafety.com

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