Page 32 - Occupational Health & Safety, November 2017

HAND PROTECTION
ployer. OSHA calculates that a single case of dermatitis can cost more than $11,000 in employer-paid expensed.1
Managing the Problem
Unfortunately, sweating while wearing a single-use glove is inevitable. These gloves are designed to form a non-permeable layer between the outside environment and your hands for protection and safety. Once a glove is donned, the environment within begins to change. Temperature rises, causing hand sweat, which then weakens dermatological barriers. Similarly, risk of exposure to microbial hazards due to dam- aged skin layers cannot be fully mitigated, as the microbial risks are completely invis- ible and unidentifiable until symptoms of the infection become visible, such as red- ness, itchiness, or inflammation.
However, managing the occlusive en- vironment is not as daunting as it seems. Common moisture management tech- niques include frequent glove changes to limit exposure to prolonged moisture as well as emollients and creams that add an additional layer of protection between glove moisture and the skin.
But glove changes impede productivity, since you need to stop what you are do- ing to remove and then don a new pair of gloves. And as noted above, constantly al- ternating between environmental extremes can do more harm than good. Likewise, in certain instances, the slippery layer of a cream could negatively impact dexterity and tactile sensation, leading to potential hazards and compromises in safety within the work environment.2 Skin care products must not undercut the efficacy of antimi- crobial soaps and rubs, nor compromise the glove materials used in the working en- vironment. Adding lotions or creams can complicate the overall compliance process, unnecessarily increase donning time and ultimately increase cost per use.
While these techniques may be the tra- ditional methods of managing moisture in the occlusive environment, they aren’t nec- essarily the best solutions. Newer technolo- gies within a glove help manage this inte- rior environment and make the wearing experience much more comfortable and productive, while providing benefits that protect skin from the occlusive environ- ment itself. One such technology incorpo- rates an absorbent liner that wicks moisture
from the skin. Creating a dryer ecosystem within the glove provides a healthier envi- ronment for the hand. Additionally, thera- peutic properties and protective ingredi- ents manufactured right into a glove can limit the potential for irritation from the occlusive environment on the inside.
A case of contact dermatitis is not only a health issue for the worker, but the dis- comfort felt while inflicted can decrease productivity, as well. To combat these risks, choosing the right glove—in terms of thickness, material, size, and perfor- mance technologies—is essential as these attributes all contribute to creating the ideal environment to promote proper hand health as well as optimal function. In a variety of workplaces, it is necessary for people to wear single-use gloves to protect their hands and to protect what is being touched. The occlusive environment cre- ated when a glove is donned causes addi- tional hand health challenges on the inte- rior of the glove and must be taken into consideration to maximize efficiency and minimize discomfort.
Selecting the best method depends on the user—is there time to change gloves or apply a sticky cream before donning gloves, or is it best to use gloves that will provide a more balanced, safer hand health environ- ment from the start? The choice affects user
health and safety as well as business costs and productivity, so be sure to consider the occlusive environment and its effects be- fore selecting the best gloves for your pur- poses.
Tom Draskovics is the Chief Marketing Of- ficer at single-use nitrile glove manufacturer SW Safety Solutions. Before joining SW, he worked as a marketing director for Ansell; he started at Ansell in 2005 and by 2011 was working as the president and general man- ager of the Specialty Markets Global Busi- ness Unit. In April 2015, he decided to take his expertise to SW Safety Solutions because of their innovative and quality-driven ap- proach to single-use nitrile glove manufac- turing. As the Chief Marketing Officer, he helped develop and execute a new business strategy, repositioning the company as both an OEM and branded leader in the single- use glove market and a new strategic mar- keting plan that focused on target verticals, technologies, and products.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/ safetypays/estimator.html
2. http://thenakedchemist.com/occlusive- ingredients-found-in-dry-skin-moisturizers/
28 Occupational Health & Safety | NOVEMBER 2017
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