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Eliminate Hazards |
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If employees face potential injury to hands and arms that cannot be
eliminated through engineering and work practice controls, OSHA
requires the wearing of appropriate protection. Potential hazards include skin absorption of harmful substances, chemical or thermal burns, electrical dangers, bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures and amputations. Protective equipment includes gloves, finger guards and arm coverings or elbow-length gloves. Employers should explore all possible engineering and work practice controls to eliminate hazards and use PPE to provide additional protection against hazards that cannot be completely eliminated. For example, machine guards may eliminate a hazard. Installing a barrier to prevent workers from placing their hands at the point of contact between a table saw blade and the item being cut is another method. Protective Gloves There are many types of gloves available to protect against a wide variety of hazards. The nature of the hazard and the operation involved will affect the selection of gloves. It is essential that employees use gloves specifically designed for the hazards and tasks found in their workplace. The following are examples of some factors that may influence the selection of protective gloves for a workplace. • Type of chemicals handled; • Nature of contact (total immersion, splash, etc.); • Duration of contact; • Area requiring protection (hand only, forearm,arm); • Grip requirements (dry, wet, oily); • Thermal protection; • Size and comfort; and • Abrasion/resistance requirements. Gloves made from a wide variety of materials are designed for many types of workplace hazards. In general, gloves fall into four groups: • Gloves made of leather, canvas or metal mesh; • Fabric and coated fabric gloves; • Chemical- and liquid-resistant gloves; and • Insulating rubber gloves (See 29 CFR 1910.137 and the following section on electrical protective equipment for detailed requirements on the selection, use and care of insulating rubber gloves). Sturdy gloves made from metal mesh, leather or canvas provides protection against cuts and burns. Leather or canvass gloves also protect against sustained heat. Leather gloves protect against sparks, moderate heat, blows, chips and rough objects. Aluminized gloves provide reflective and insulating protection against heat and require an insert made of synthetic materials to protect against heat and cold. Aramid fiber gloves protect against heat and cold, are cut-and abrasive-resistant and wear well. Synthetic gloves of various materials offer protection against heat and cold, are cut and abrasive-resistant and may withstand some diluted acids. Fabric and Coated Fabric Gloves Fabric and coated fabric gloves are made of cotton or other fabric to provide varying degrees of protection. Fabric gloves protect against dirt, slivers, chafing and abrasions. They do not provide sufficient protection for use with rough, sharp or heavy materials. Adding a plastic coating will strengthen some fabric gloves. Coated fabric gloves are normally made from cotton flannel with napping on one side. By coating the unnapped side with plastic, fabric gloves are transformed into general-purpose hand protection offering slip-resistant qualities. These gloves are used for tasks ranging from handling bricks and wire to chemical laboratory containers. When selecting gloves to protect against chemical exposure hazards, always check with the manufacturer or review the manufacturer’s product literature to determine the gloves’ effectiveness against specific workplace chemicals and conditions. Chemical-Resistant Gloves Chemical-resistant gloves are made with different kinds of rubber: natural, butyl, neoprene, nitrile and fluorocarbon (viton); or various kinds of plastic: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene. These materials can be blended or laminated for better performance. As a general rule, the thicker the glove material, the greater the chemical resistance, but thick gloves may impair grip and dexterity, having a negative impact on safety. • Butyl gloves are made of a synthetic rubber and protect against a wide variety of chemicals, such as peroxide, rocket fuels, highly corrosive acids (nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid and red-fuming nitric acid), strong bases, alcohols, aldehydes. • Ketones, esters and nitrocompounds. Butyl gloves also resist oxidation, ozone corrosion and abrasion, and remain flexible at low temperatures. Butyl rubber does not perform well with aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated solvents. • Natural (latex) rubber gloves are comfortable to wear, which makes them a popular general-purpose glove. They feature outstanding tensile strength, elasticity and temperature resistance. In addition to resisting abrasions caused by grinding and polishing, these gloves protect workers’ hands from most water solutions of acids, alkalis, salts and ketones. Latex gloves have caused allergic reactions in some individuals and may not be appropriate for all employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners and powderless gloves are possible alternatives for workers who are allergic to latex gloves. Neoprene gloves are made of synthetic rubber and offer good pliability, finger dexterity, high density and tear resistance. They protect against hydraulic fluids, gasoline, alcohols, organic acids and alkalis. They generally have chemical and wear resistance properties superior to those made of natural rubber. Nitrile gloves are made of a copolymer and provide protection from chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. FSM |
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