Size Matters When it Comesto Personal Protective Equipment

Depending on the kind of work performed, an appropriate ensemble of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can be as simple as a sturdy pair of gloves or as complex as a sealed suit with a self-contained breathing apparatus.

According to NIOSH, choosing the right protective clothing and equipment is worth careful consideration, but finding the right fit is just as important.

Choosing PPE can be confusing. Understanding sizing conventions and determining the correct sizes can be challenging. Here are some simple guidelines to help you make the best decision when purchasing sized PPE.

Shoes
Common PPE for the feet are overshoes and overboots. Overshoes are sized to fit over the shoes being worn underneath and correspond in size; a size 10 overshoe will fit over a size 10 shoe. Women’s sizes are still uncommon in overshoes and overboots, but a workable rule of thumb is to simply add two sizes.

Hard Hats
Hard hat sizes can seem a bit mysterious. They do not correspond directly to head circumference. Use the following general guide for proper fit: size six fits a head with a 19-inch circumference; size 6-1/2 fits a 20-inch head; size seven fists a 22-inch head; size 7-1/2 fits a 23-inch head; size 8 fits a 25-inch head.

Eyewear
Safety eyewear size measurements depend on the type of lens. With a single-lens system, size is measured in millimeters (25.4mm equals an inch) from the outside of the left temple to the outside of the right temple. If the eyewear has a two-lens system, such as prescription eyewear, size is
measured in millimeters from the left to right of each lens.

Respirators
Of all PPE sizing challenges, accurate sizing for respirators is the most critical. Confusion can occur as respirator sizes are given descriptors (Small, Medium and Large), but these do not relate to any measurable value. Respirators are made with the assumption that most faces and heads have about the same width and length. This means that a Medium size will fit approximately 85 to 90 percent
of the population.

People who need small or large sizes generally know from their experience buying hats or prescription eyewear that their face and head size falls outside the norm.

Gloves
Tight-fitting gloves can cause fatigue, and loose-fitting gloves can become a hazard. Gloves are sized by number (six, seven, eight, etc.), or by using general size descriptors (Small, Medium, Large,
etc.). Sizing can vary slightly among styles or manufacturers, but for a general idea of what number size will fit your hand, measure the circumference of your palm by wrapping a soft tape measure
around your hand on a line from just below your pinky to just below the knuckle of the first finger.

This will provide a size in inches equivalent to your glove size. An eight inch measurement equals a size eight glove, and so on. Size Extra Small is roughly equivalent to a 6 to 7-inch palm
circumference, Small to a 7 to 8-inch circumference, Medium to an 8 to 9-inch circumference, Large to a 9 to 10-inch circumference, and Extra Large to a 10-to 11-inch circumference.

Gloves for Handling Chemicals
Injuries caused by contact with chemicals can be prevented by selecting and using the correct type of glove when handling chemicals. The following cases demonstrate the importance of proper glove selection and use.

An employee developed contact dermatitis on their hands after using cleaning chemicals. The employee was using disposable vinyl gloves.

An employee developed contact dermatitis on the arms while cleaning walls and ceilings with chemicals. An employee developed a rash and numbness in her hands after wearing latex
gloves for about three hours.
 
In the first case, the vinyl gloves used by the employee did not provide adequate protection to the chemicals used. Thus, the chemicals penetrated within a short time and caused the employee
to develop a rash. By choosing the correct type of chemical protective gloves, workers can prevent injury caused by chemical breakthrough.

In the second case, the employee’s arms were not adequately covered to protect against drips. This injury might have been prevented if the employee had used gloves with longer cuffs.

In the third case, the employee suffered an allergic reaction to the latex gloves. Latex gloves, which are common among health care workers and dining service workers, can cause allergic reactions in
some individuals.

According to OSHA estimates, eight to 12 percent of health care workers are latex sensitive. Latex gloves are manufactured from natural rubber derived from rubber trees. Several types of synthetic
rubber are also referred to as “latex” but those materials do not cause allergic reactions.

Symptoms of latex allergy include skin redness, rash, hives or itching. Although the first sign of latex allergy is rarely life threatening, repeated exposure may cause more severe reactions to individuals with latex allergy. Use of other types of gloves such as vinyl or nitrile rather than latex is generally recommended.

The efficiency of a glove in protecting the wearer from chemical hazards depends on many variables, including proper fit, materials of construction, and use.

Selection for Chemical Protection
Exposure of the skin to chemicals can result in irritation or absorption into the body and result in various health effects.

Review the chemical’s material safety data sheet (MSDS) to determine if a chemical poses a skin absorption or contact hazard. Most chemicals do pose these types of hazards. When using a
chemical that presents a contact or absorption hazard, the user must select an appropriate glove to protect against the hazard.

Gloves are available as a single polymer or layered by two or more other polymers to increase breakthrough time and to offer protection to a wider range of chemicals. Breakthrough time is the
time required for a chemical to be detected on the inside of the glove after contact.

View the Most Common Type of Polymers
There is no glove that will provide protection to all types of chemicals. Eventually, all glove materials will fail. Glove failure time varies by the chemical, concentration, duration, temperature, manufacturer,
and glove thickness. A rule of thumb for glove breakthrough time is for every doubling of the polymer thickness, doubles the breakthrough time. For every doubling of the temperature, it half the
breakthrough time.

Another method to reduce breakthrough is double gloving. This practice can further reduce breakthrough by routinely changing the outer glove before the manufacturer’s stated breakthrough time. If double gloving, try to use two different colors of gloves. If the outer glove physically fails, such as a cut or puncture, the under glove should be visible.

Select a supported or unsupported glove. Supported gloves have a fabric lining which makes the glove easier to don and doff. Unsupported gloves provide greater manual dexterity and feeling for the work.

Select the Cuff Design.
Cuff designs are available in extended lengths to protect the lower forearm, such as the gauntlet. The safety cuff is a two to 4-inch wide stiff material, which is designed to make it easier to quickly
remove the glove if it is caught on something.

The slip-on design has no cuff. A glove with a knit-wrist cuff fits snug to the wrist to prevent chemicals/debris from entering the glove. Rolled cuffs are designed to prevent glove tear.

Grip Design.
Grip design is the finish on the glove. Smooth finishes provide more sensation of touch while rough and crinkle finishes provide greater cut and abrasion protection and reduce slippage of objects held
in the gloved hand.

Storage of Gloves.
All gloves should be stored in a cool environment, shielded from ozone and ultraviolet (UV) light. Keep in mind that no disposable glove will provide perfect protection. Employees should
still work carefully and avoid contact with chemicals. If hazardous chemicals are spilled on disposable gloves, they should be discarded and replaced as soon as possible.  FSM