Page 35 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2018

Unfortunately, the process of double gloving to achieve additional protection comes at a cost: comfort and performance. Two gloves can prove uncomfortable and stiff, while also decreasing the dexterity and tactility needed to complete daily tasks.
vide lightweight liners that can be added to chemical gloves, providing exceptional levels of cut protection in a chemical glove without losing comfort or ease of donning and doffing.
Advancements in glove designs are also keeping worker safety and health top of mind. New hi-viz liners can act as an indicator when the outer coating is cut or compromised, prompting workers to re- place their gloves before any harm is done. Optimized fit techniques mold cut liners to
clear—with increased cut risks abundant in today’s machinery-heavy workspaces, cut protection can be as critical a factor as chemical protection.
Breaking Bad Habits
Identifying worker PPE needs is the first step; breaking bad habits is the next hurdle when it comes to protecting against both chemicals and cuts. Faced with inadequate protection, workers have developed inef- ficient and dangerous work-arounds to fit their glove needs or get the job done.
Without multipurpose gloves that pro- tect against all possible risks, some workers don gloves that offer only chemical or cut protection—not both, leaving them only partially protected. Those who choose to wear mechanical gloves only are at a risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals if the glove barrier is compromised. Those who choose to only wear chemical gloves run the risk of harmful lacerations if the barrier material can’t stand up to sharp objects.
Others choose to double up on protec- tion, either wearing a mechanical glove un- der a chemical glove or a disposable glove under a mechanical glove in an attempt to achieve both chemical and cut protection. Unfortunately, the process of double glov- ing to achieve additional protection comes at a cost: comfort and performance. Two gloves can prove uncomfortable and stiff, while also decreasing the dexterity and tac- tility needed to complete daily tasks.
Finally—and perhaps the worst sce- nario—some workers choose to remove their gloves altogether, opting for the grip and comfort a bare hand provides while putting themselves at a massive safety risk. Any safety advocate can see we simply can’t stand to make the compromise between safety and performance any longer.
Compliance Over Compromise:
PPE That Protects Against
Cuts and Chemicals
Innovations in PPE are finally bridging the gap between chemical and cut protection, offering workers an all-encompassing safe-
ty solution. Advancements in nitrile, yarns, and fabrics allow for gloves that protect workers from many frequently used chemi- cals while still providing long-lasting snag, puncture, and abrasion resistance. Cut- resistant technologies and materials pro-
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