Transcript Hand Protection at Work

Hand Protection
at Work
A Guide to
Proper Glove Selection
Glove Selection
Your hands are one of your most valuable
tools. Nothing has ever been invented that
can match them in usefulness and
adaptability. That’s why it’s so important to
learn how to protect them, both at work and at
home!
Glove Selection
It is important to select the right glove for the task at
hand. The gloves presented in this discussion are
among the most common found in construction and
maintenance activities at Southern Company and
are used daily by employees for their specific jobs.
Items to remember when choosing gloves for a job
task are proper selection, use, care, and the
limitations associated with each.
Glove Selection
Different gloves are designed to protect against
specific hazards. ALWAYS know the right glove for
the job. If you’re not sure, check with your
supervisor before choosing gloves for the specific
jobs in your work area. You can refer to a Material
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) if the job involves
potentially hazardous chemicals or materials. See
the area-specific procedures for glove guidelines.
Gloves take only a few seconds to put on and they
protect you from a variety of hazards. Make sure
they fit properly. If they’re too big they can get
caught on an object. If they’re too small they can
restrict movement and circulation
Glove Inspection
Always inspect your gloves before using them. Of
principal concern are cuts, tears and punctures.
Discoloration or stiffness may indicate nonuniformities in the glove’s material resulting from
damage and/or previous use. Visual inspection
should be done every time you use gloves to detect
damage or defects. Dispose of gloves that have
been damaged or show signs of excessive wear.
Leather Drivers’ Gloves
Drivers’ gloves are thin leather gloves for general
purpose use and are excellent for material handling.
They allow good dexterity while providing protection
at the same time. The full leather gloves provides
protection to the entire hand from abrasion and
punctures. Slip-on driver's style gloves provide
dependable, comfortable hand protection for a wide
variety of jobs.
Leather Drivers’ Gloves
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Leather drivers’ gloves do not provide protection
against chemical exposure. Select a specific
chemical resistant glove in combination with the
leather glove for proper protection. All gloves must
be disposed of when they become soiled or
damaged by contact with chemicals.
Leather drivers’ gloves do not provide adequate cut
resistance for work with bladed tools and sharp
material.
Latex Gloves/Nitrile Gloves
Latex Gloves/Nitrile Gloves
Latex gloves are an excellent line of defense against
potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens, bodily
fluids and are used mainly for medical use situations,
but can have additions uses as well. Latex gloves
do not provide protection against punctures, cuts,
and abrasions and should be disposed of properly
after each use. Nitrile gloves also provide excellent
protection for medical use situations, and can be
found in heavier material for protection during
housekeeping tasks, painting and parts cleaning. If
your gloves do come in contact with blood and/or
bodily fluids they should be disposed of in a
biohazard container.
Chemical Gloves
Latex Gloves/Nitrile Gloves
The selection of the proper chemical-resistant glove begins
with an evaluation of the job application. There are different
types of chemical resistant gloves including, but not limited
to: butyl, rubber, neoprene, nitrile, and polyvinyl chloride
(PVC). Physical performance may be a more critical factor in
some cases than chemical resistance. If a job application
involves handling heavy, rough, or sharp objects then the
glove must have high resistance to abrasion, cuts, snags,
etc. Or, consider using an appropriate light weight chemical
glove in combination with an abrasion resistant leather
glove. A hole in a glove can provide much greater chemical
exposure potential than molecular permeation.
Chemical Gloves
Factors that influence this selection are:
• the type of chemicals to be handled (or used)
• frequency and duration of chemical contact
• nature of contact (total immersion or splash only)
• concentration of chemicals
• temperature of chemicals
• abrasion/resistance requirements
• puncture-, snag-, tear-, and cut-resistance requirements
• length to be protected (hand only, forearm, arm)
• dexterity requirements
• grip requirements (dry grip, wet grip, oily)
• cuff edge (safety cuff, knit wrist, or gauntlet)
• color requirements (to show contamination)
• thermal protection (for example, when handling anhydrous ammonia)
• size and comfort requirements
Silver Shield Gloves
Silver Shield Gloves
These gloves provide excellent chemical resistant
and are impermeable to most chemical compounds,
but are stiff and have poor grip and fit (one size fits
all) and provide NO resistance to punctures and
tears. They are commonly used of HazMat work and
are a good choice for universal spill kit gloves. They
are best used in conjunction with a leather glove for
added protection. Silvershield gloves are disposable
after each use.
Leather TIG Welding Gloves
Leather TIG Welding Gloves
Leather TIG welding gloves are a flexible welding glove that
is durable, lightweight and pliable. These smooth leather
gloves are perfect for MIG-TIG, heli-arc welding, and other
heat and spark-producing applications. This style adds added
protection to the worker’s hand and wrist. They also help to
avoid the potential for puncture and abrasion incidents.
Leather TIG gloves should be inspected for defects and
damage before each use. If damage or defects are
discovered, discard of the gloves immediately.
Stick Welding Gloves
Stick Welding Gloves
Stick welding gloves are made of leather and add
addition padding and protection to the worker’s
hands and arms against heat and spark-producing
welding jobs. The stick welding glove offers limited
dexterity, but is an excellent guard against heat.
Stick welding gloves should be inspected for
damage and defects and discarded as needed.
Leather Welding Sleeves
Leather Welding Sleeves
Provides protection against welding splatter
and sparks. Leather welding sleeves come in
a variety of sizes and are made of quality
leather with adjustable straps. The sleeves
add protection to a welders’ forearms during
welding activities.
Cut Resistant Kevlar Gloves
Cut-Resistant Kevlar gloves
Cut-Resistant Kevlar gloves are to be worn when
handling sharp materials, cutting materials, or using
tools with sharp edges. Many manufacturers are
providing neoprene coated (dipped) Cut-resistant
gloves which are durable and offer improved grip
along with dexterity. It is also important to remember
that cut-resistant gloves are not cut or puncture
proof. They do not offer protection against chemical
exposure and should be discarded if damages or
defects are discovered.
Cut Resistant Kevlar Sleeves
Cut-Resistant Kevlar gloves
• Used in combination with kevlar protective
gloves to provide laceration protection for
forearms/wrists when manually handling
material with sharp edges or when
performing operations with a knife, such as
stripping wire
• Available in various cut resistant ratings
Puncture Resistant Gloves
Cut/Tear/Puncture Resistance Ratings
*The higher the number, the greater the resistance
High Voltage Gloves
High Voltage Gloves
High voltage gloves are a two piece set that help to
protect workers against the potential for electrical
shock. High voltage gloves come in a variety of
ratings depending on the voltage associated with the
job task. High voltage gloves are color coded with
the corresponding protection classification. All high
voltage gloves are tested on a regular basis to
ensure that proper protection can be fulfilled. Rubber
gloves shall be air/water tested and visually
inspected by the wearer for defects before use each
day and whenever there is a cause to suspect
damage. It is important to discard if defects are
discovered.