Tag Archives: cut

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CUT PROTECTION

Persons who work in environments that require them to handle sharp objects want to wear the safest, cut-resistant gloves that are available for their particular needs.  Cut resistance defines the material that the gloves are constructed from.  One method of testing the fabric is using force to cut through the material using a moving blade.  In the U.S., the ASTM F1790 is the most common test for cut resistance, which along with ANSI/ISEA glove selecting criteria rates them on a scale from 0 to 5.

Other factors that are also important to consider are the workplace conditions: humidity, temperature and lubricants that are involved.   Most cut-resistant gloves are made from stainless steel wrapped with softer nylon yarn for strength and comfort.  These types of gloves are suitable of food processing, canning, glass handling, and metal fabricating applications.
Certain materials that are in the design of cut-resistant gloves are five times stronger than steel.  Although they are strong and cut-resistant, they are not puncture-proof.  They are not intended for use near powered blades or other rotating equipment.

Employers know the risk factors in their workplace.  Things they should look for when selecting cut-resistant gloves for their employees:

  • Tear strength
  • Abrasion resistance
  • Durability – select gloves that will be as strong at the end of the shift as at the beginning.
  • Comfort – gloves that are going to stay on all day long should be comfortable.
  • Fit – gloves that are loose will only make things clumsy for the employee.
  • Grip –very important that the glove allows a good grip.

Certain types of industrial jobs require wearing cut-resistant sleeves, as well.  The main ingredient to reducing injuries is to train employees well in the type of risks they will encounter on a daily basis.  As with any well-trained workers, they learn to never take their safety for granted: to be constantly aware of accidents that may be waiting to happen.

Hand Protection

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HAND PROTECTION

1 Comment

If your need for gloves is for gardening or at-home jobs, there are specific types of gloves that fit the bill.  When your employment requires that you wear Personal Protective Equipment, including gloves, employers must conduct extensive hazard assessments to ensure that potential injury to hands of workers is avoided.  The employer should determine which type of protection is needed for the utmost safety, by selecting the proper glove, finger guards, or elbow-length glove that is appropriate for the task at hand.  There are numerous selections of work gloves, even gloves with a light on them for working under the hood of a car!  Whether you are an employer, employee, or performing jobs at home, it’s important to make the right choices.

Factors that should influence your decision in choosing gloves:

  • Types of chemicals you are exposed to.  Also the nature of contact (splash, total immersion.)
  • Duration of contact.  Area of body that requires protection.
  • Thermal Protection.
  • Abrasion/Resistance Required.
  • Mechanical hazards that you are around, such as rough, sharp objects, at home or work.
  • Proper fit to avoid dropping products in assembly.
  • Furnish good grip for wet/dry, hot/cold working conditions.
  • Styled for tasks that require delicate, intricate handling.
  • Gender specific.

Gloves generally fall into four groups:

It is important that employers are aware of any employees who are allergic to materials of gloves, such as latex, or those with powder.  Persons who are sensitized should have emergency identification specifying their allergy and carry a prescription for epinephrine from their allergist.  Workers must be prepared to recognize and treat a person who might go into anaphylactic shock.

Gloves serve a very important purpose for almost all walks of life: the medical field, military, law enforcement, and industrial environments.  They are necessary for certain jobs at home and many different sports.  Best of all, they help us stay warm!

Source: OSHA

General Safety Issues

WHY WE SHOULDN’T IGNORE CUTS AND SCRAPES

1 Comment

Getting cuts and scrapes are just a fact of life.  Most of the time, they can be taken care of by cleaning them, using some antibiotic ointment on them, and covering them with a band-aid or gauze.  Bacterial skin infections are common – some are simply annoying, yet others can be deadly.  There’s a “super bug” lurking that sometimes gets into those cuts and causes serious problems.  MRSA, or “staph infection,” is an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria that isn’t easy to overcome.  Many times patients pick up this type of infection in hospitals.

To help you keep from dealing with the “bad bugs”, here are some tips for prevention of infection from cuts, scrapes, and punctures:

  • First, stop the bleeding.  Hold pressure on the wound for about 10-20 minutes with a clean cloth.
  • Next, clean the area with soap and water.  Hydrogen peroxide is helpful at first, but may hinder healing if used too often.
  • If the wound has foreign material in it, use some tweezers that you have cleaned with alcohol to remove if it is along the edge, otherwise do not go any deeper, as that could push bacteria deeper into the wound.
  • Use a first-aid antibiotic ointment or cream.
  • Clean the wound three times per day.
  • Puncture wounds also must first be cleaned with soap and water.  The same steps as treating cuts and scrapes apply to these type injuries.
  • If any of these places begin draining, or redness and swelling occurs, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Stepping on nails is a common way of getting a puncture wound.  These may become more easily infected because bacteria and debris can get pushed into the tissue.  If the person is wearing tennis shoes, the foam in them can harbor bacteria (Pseudomonas) that can lead to serious infection in the tissues.  Other puncture wounds caused by bites (human or animal), wood splinters, or plant materials can easily cause infection.

Most persons in the United States have received a tetanus shot.  The period of time for a booster shot is 10 years.  However, if the wound is in a tetanus-prone area or very dirty, a booster shot would be given if the person had not received one in the last five years.

Taking the time to properly keep a wound (regardless of how small it is) clean and using some type of medication to help it heal, is a lot better than dealing with an infection later on.  Don’t just brush off a minor scrape because it could become a major pain!  Keeping a first aid kit at home, work, and in your car wouldn’t be a bad idea, as you’d be prepared all the time!