Risks associated with working in industrial setup.
Industries like construction, agriculture, transportation, etc., expose one to higher chances of finger or hand injuries. These could range from minor cuts, smashes, pinches, and bruises, to major issues of lacerations, pinches, abrasions, strains, dislocations, and even health conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and Raynaud’s syndrome, to list a few.
The frequent use of heavy machinery, repetitive tasks, and the physical nature introduce the risks primarily. Machines such as hammers, saws, assembly equipment, bulldozers, and other heavy-duty equipment increase the risk of serious finger and hand injuries.
On the other hand, a clinical environment of a diagnostic laboratory could equally introduce the risk of needle-stick injuries. These are common occurrences during blood extraction and handling of specimens. Hence, it remains crucial to wear hand protection.
Safety Gloves: First Line of Defense Against Every Hazard
Safety Gloves are one of the most important accessories of personal protection equipment (PPE). Take, for instance, leather gloves, which remain ideal for the construction industry. These offer protection against cuts, abrasion and heat.
Metal mesh safety gloves are cut-resistant and offer protection against cutting, sliding and punctures. Food services and meat industry extensively use these safety gloves.
Nitrile safety gloves have higher puncture resistance and offer increased protection against chemicals, oils and acids. Needle-stick injuries in laboratories can be best prevented by nitrile safety gloves.
Furthermore, there could be the risk of contamination or skin absorption while handling hazardous substances or chemicals. Butyl rubber safety gloves resist harmful chemicals such as ketones, alcohols, acids, bases, nitro-compounds, etc.
Safety Gloves helps in Improving Efficiency, Minimizing Hand Fatigue
Safety Gloves with the correct grip can minimize hand fatigue and influence safety and efficiency. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or Silicone are widely used for their slip-resistant properties for coating work gloves designed for grip.
Nitrile is also known to offer superior grip and is resistant to oil, grease and water. Heavyweight nitrile safety gloves are extensively used in the chemical industry and laboratories.
In addition to materials for better grip, certain patterns and textures can play a crucial role, too. Strategically placed stitching, raised dot patterns, textures, and grooves are known to extend the better gripping ability of a safety glove.
Safety Gloves offer Effective Protection Against Heat, Arc Safety Hazards
A pair of high-quality safety gloves offers protection against thermal burns or line-of-fire injuries. For example, Kevlar safety gloves have high abrasion levels and provide excellent hand protection as they are strong, light and flame-retardant. Such safety gloves have found extensive usage in the automotive sector as well as industries involving high-flame environments.
The hazards of thermal burns rise while welding, cutting or working close to the steam, cooking equipment or ovens. Rubber-insulated safety gloves with leather protectors effectively ward off such dangers, including electrical hazards.
Safety Gloves offer Adequate Insulation Against Extreme Temperatures, Harsh Weather
Harsh weather conditions leading to temperature extremes could cause frostbite or burns. For instance, safety gloves are made using aluminised fibreglass or Kevlar fabrics to withstand extreme weather.
Also, high-performance polyethene (HPPE) is knitted with acrylic form fibre to create gloves that keep moisture at bay and are cut-resistant.
Safety Gloves helps in Gaining Better Control Over Powerful Vibrations
Operating certain types of equipment, such as handheld power tools, generates high-frequency vibrations. When such vibrations consistently pass into the hands and arms, they can damage nerves, blood vessels, muscles, bones and joints.
Such constant exposure to vibrations can lead to grievous injuries, such as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HANS), vibration white finger, or Raynaud’s disease, to list a few. Safety Gloves made of Thermoplastic rubber (TPR), latex and silicone offer better protection against vibrations.
L&T-SuFin offers a wide range of genuine and branded safety gloves. Check out L&T-SuFin website for more options.