Page 12 - Occupational Health & Safety, August 2017

HAND PROTECTION
Today’s materials provide cut, abrasion, heat, anti-vibration, back of hand, and chemical protection for the industrial athlete.
One of the most significant progres- sions during the 1970s was the combina- tion of a cotton canvas, clute pattern glove dipped into a latex coating. At this time, the “Nitty Gritty®” glove was a game changer within our industry. Interestingly enough, like today, when any one company has a game-changing success, many others are quick to follow.
Recognize that up until the 1970s, the majority of gloves and safety products were sold and distributed by indepen- dently owned safety supply distributors. These independently owned distributors were progressively acquired and disap- peared as larger industrial suppliers rec- ognized the potential for growth and the
importance of safety products. Likewise, today suppliers include global entities that have added safety products to their mix of consumer products.
1980:
MCR Safety seamless knit manufacturing in action
This decade experienced the most signifi- cant progression of technology, most nota- bly with the introduction of seamless knit gloves. Manufacturing was automated by utilizing continuous knit machines that re- quired very little labor to produce seamless knit gloves. Early glove production includ-
ed dotted and flat dip patterns. As dipping of these shells evolved, polymers such as la- tex, nitrile, neoprene, and PVC were added for various applications and industries.
1990:
More user-friendly styles became avail- able as thinner (higher gauge) seamless knit shells with a wider range of yarn composition evolved to offer greater pro- tection. While cotton/polyester were the original seamless knit offerings, Kevlar® and Dyneema® (Diamond Tech®) plus engineered fibers including stainless steel and synthetic materials were also introduced. This decade also experienced the introduction of disposable nitrile gloves as an alternative to latex disposable gloves in effort to overcome workers’ allergies that are still an issue in the present day. Addi- tionally, The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Interna- tional Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) formed the specialized system for world-
MCR SAFETY
10 Untitled-2Oc1cupational Health & Safety | AUGUST 2017
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