Page 47 - OHS, October 2020

are specifically dealing with small objects like needles, or larger objects like broken glass. You will find specific standards for each. Puncture resistance always reduces dexterity and comfort, so difficult choices must be made.
Impact Resistance. Gloves with impact resistance include padding on the top of the hand and the fingers. They evolved out of sporting gloves, like those used for dirt biking, and are surprisingly comfortable.
Some industries often expose workers to severe impact dangers, especially from heavy equipment—and over the last few years, impact-resistant gloves have dramatically reduced things like back hand fractures in the oil and gas industry.
Heat Resistance. Industry has made huge strides in protecting workers from heat dangers through automation and tool redesign, but in certain applications, gloves remain crucial for handling things like hot cooking oil, welded parts and molten metals. Heat-resistant gloves have specific temperature ratings, and you need to do careful research on what you require.
Vibration Resistance. Vibration resistance is a vital requirement for workers using pneumatic tools or similar equipment, which can cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), a serious disability.
For tools with high levels of vibration, like a jackhammer, choose a glove with a lot of anti-vibration padding; for smaller tools like a grinder, go with a thinner, more form-fitting glove. A glove with too much padding can actually increase forearm strain and increase the likelihood of HAVS. Also, full-finger gloves are much better than half-finger versions, as HAVS is most likely to develop in the fingertips.
Substance Protection, Seasonal Considerations
& Custom Requirements
Hazardous Substance Protection. There’s no such thing as “generic hazardous substances protection.” If a job includes the handling of chemicals, it’s critical that the glove company you use knows exactly which chemicals, so the glove or glove coatings can be exactly right.
For example, there’s a glove made of polyvinyl alcohol that’s resistant to a wide range of hazardous chemicals, but it’s soluble in water. If it comes in contact with water, it will fall apart quickly.
Importantly, no chemical-resistant glove will keep the bad stuff out forever. You need to know how long a resistant glove can hold out, and when it needs to be thrown away.
Included in this section with hazardous substance protection is microorganism protection, a feature found in disposable gloves used mostly in healthcare applications. Make sure to also consider abrasion resistance, puncture resistance, allergies, powdering and more.
Seasonal Considerations. When workers operate in cold conditions, warm gloves are essential to protect against frostbite. To choose the right winter gloves, you need to know what temperatures workers operate in and for how long.
Any good winter work glove will have multiple layers, manage moisture effectively, and stay warm even at the fingertips. The lining should be wool, polypropylene, or Thinsulate—never cotton.
Length of Cuffs or Separate Sleeves. Are your worker’s arms also in danger from burns, cuts and abrasions? If you need a cut- resistant glove, it’s likely you also need a long cuff or a separate protective sleeve.
Custom Requirements. Do workers finish up a task by pushing in a pin with the palm of their hand? Maybe you need a glove with a thick pad right at that spot. Do you need extra cut protection along the thumb?
Large manufacturers may have what you need or may custom design a glove—do your homework and be specific.
Laundering Ability, Coatings & Comfort
A glove’s laundering ability is often ignored during the glove selection process, but it’s crucial to long-term value and total cost.
Most companies will simply throw out even highly expensive, custom gloves when they become overly sweaty or dirty. I find this atremendouswasteofmoneyandresources.Ifyoupay$10for a pair of gloves and manage to launder them just once at a cost of $0.50, you’ve saved $9.50. In a company with thousands of employees, that can add up to real money.
Coatings. An enormous number of specialized coatings are available for work gloves, either for the entire glove or just for the palm and underside of the fingers. These coatings may apply to a variety of needs above, and you definitely need expert help in selecting the right coating.
Comfort and Fit. The question of comfort and fit is vital to all glove types, but comfort requirements may depend greatly on the length of time each glove is worn for a specific task. That makes a real-world trial even more important. Remember: a glove means nothing if it’s not worn.
Choosing a Glove Based on Your Checklist
We live in a world where more means better, but that’s not the case with gloves. The proper glove is the one that meets—not exceeds— the minimum requirements.
If you exceed the minimum requirements, the glove will most likely wind up too bulky, and workers won’t actually wear it. As with Goldilocks, “just right” is just right. Because of this, you will likely find that you need multiple types of gloves for different tasks.
With this checklist as a guide, create your specific list of requirements, per task. Give this information to a reputable glove company and let them choose two to three samples for you to test out, alongside the incumbent glove. Based on these tests, you will then be able to determine the proper glove and ensure that your workers are protected.
By putting thought and research into this important decision, you just might save a hand.
Joe Geng grew up among the tanneries of Canada helping his father make gloves, and he has spent his entire life studying industrial hand safety, overseeing glove R&D, and consulting with leading companies like Toyota, Honda, SpaceX, General Motors, Bombardier Aircraft, and Shell Oil. He presently acts as vice president at Superior Glove, the Geng family business that is considered one of the world’s most innovative and disruptive glove manufacturers. Superior is a major global supplier to aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, and construction companies, and has been named one of Canada’s best-managed companies seven years in a row by Deloitte. Joe holds degrees from Trinity Western University and attended Reutlingen leather school in Germany.
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OCTOBER 2020 | Occupational Health & Safety 43