Tag Archives: style

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection

PROTECT YOUR TEN BEST FRIENDS – YOUR FINGERS!

Our hands are very important parts of the success in performing our work correctly.  Regardless of the type of work – industrial, driving, or working in the healthcare field, our fingers essentially do the walking and talking for us many times.  Gloves play a very vital role in keeping our hands safe.  It would be hard to name the many types of gloves, but there is basically a glove for every task.  Cotton gloves work well for material handlers, chemical-resistant gloves protect those who work with chemicals, leather gloves for welders, metal-mesh gloves for meat cutters, and ballistic nylon gloves for chain-saw users.  Every occupation is considered in the design and manufacture of gloves.  All environments require certain gloves: for extreme cold in freezers or outdoors in winter, to extreme heat in welding, to lint-free, high technology areas, to radiation-protection in nuclear plants, wearing the correct type of gloves is very important.   In the United States, gloves that are used for food handling, food processing, and the medical industry are certified by the U.S. Drug Administration.  Many workplaces approve gloves by joint health and safety committees.  Some employers set their own standards to ensure their workers are adequately protected. 

There is a definite difference in the requirement of a good fit of work gloves between men and women.  Ill-fitting gloves are a great problem, because workers won’t use them if they feel awkward.  Some women have to make do with gloves that don’t fit – fingers too long or too wide, palm circumference too large, and gauntlet or wristlet too big.  One size does not fit all.  Texas America Safety Company has a choice of gloves for every hand – their manufacturers have ensured that the gloves they sell meet all needs – large enough for big hands, yet selections that fit the hands of smaller men, as well as all types of gloves for women.  Some of the gloves even come in pink, so guys, “hands off” her gloves! 

In choosing safety gloves, here are some things to look for:

  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions to get a proper fit.
  • Select all exposed skin that is covered by gloves.
  • Ensure the glove’s finger length and width, and palm circumference are correct.
  • Ensure that the glove offers a safe grip, to prevent tools or materials from sliding from your hands.
  • Gauntlets or wristlets should fit over the clothing and be stream-lined to the arms to prevent gloves from catching on machinery or debris from falling inside.
  • Be sure that the gloves allow skilled and easy use of the hands.
  • Gloves should not be clumsy or awkward to wear. 

Ill-fitting equipment can detract from a worker’s ability to do his/her job.  It could lead to:

  • Less efficient work;
  • Slower work;
  • Greater number of errors;
  • Difficulty in doing certain tasks – jobs that require detailed movements. 

There’s no reason to purchase gloves that are not going to fit your employees, because now you have choices for every size and need.  Take the time to inventory all your employees’ hand sizes and order enough to cover those “ten friends” the best way to ensure safety, and a good job performance.

Eye Protection, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Protective Clothing, Uncategorized

COMPLIANCE – NOW, THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TALKIN’ ABOUT!

Most successful companies understand that the best way to meet compliance standards in regard to employees wearing their personal protective equipment is to furnish them some really “cool” products.  Products such as gloves, safety glasses, and hardhats that keep them safe while bringing out their personalities at the same time! 

We recently received the following note, which sets the example:   “I received the hardhat yesterday and I love it. It’s been the talk of the town here for the past two days in my motor pool in Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. My 1stSgt, Co Gunny, and my CO all think it’s the coolest thing since sliced bread. It has not only provided my cranium protection, it’s given a sizable morale boost too to the Marines I work with. I wish to thank you one last time for ensuring its delivery here. I’d also like to thank your company for making the ordering process so easy and the site easy to navigate. Take care.”  (Goodness knows –  if anyone could use a lift, it’s our service personnel.) 

Many workers complain that their P.P.E. just doesn’t fit or look right.  Now, women’s products come in smaller sizes, from safety glasses to gloves and hardhats made just for them, some even in pink!  There are coveralls and other protective outerwear that is not just “one size fits all.”  Because people come in all sizes, companies should have their safety leaders include part of the workforce to make the decisions in the products they select.  It is unsafe for workers to have to perform their jobs in clothing that doesn’t fit.  Loose gloves and clothing can become caught in moving equipment. 

If companies allow their employees to wear, for example, say, hardhats that have sports team logos on them, it lets workers show support for their team, which in turn, might cause a little competition, along with a winning spirit.  We hope this encourages others to be aware that all safety glasses are not “Plain Janes.”  There are so many cool styles of glasses that surpass those found in optical stores, because not only do they look good, but furnish UV safety, as well as protect the eyes from foreign objects.  The look of safety equipment depends on the materials it is made from.  Therefore, many types of gloves and goggles or glasses are designed for protection and not style.  Whether they are industrial grade or medical grade gloves or outer clothing, chemists, medical personnel, food handling workers, and others who are engaged in types of work that require these special protective barriers are happy to wear them, knowing they are protected.  

The main concern toward keeping employees safe is to ensure they are compliant with safety rules.  PPE is the last line of defense when it comes to protection.  However, it won’t protect them if they don’t wear it!  The employee is responsible to know how to use this PPE for the particular purpose it was designed.  It is the responsibility of the company’s safety leader to ensure that they are trained and understand how to take care of their PPE, knowing when it is damaged and how it can be repaired if possible, or replaced when necessary.  It can be much more fun when workers to get to wear some type of PPE that puts a smile on everyone’s face.   

We thank our Marine for the kind words regarding the hardhat he ordered.  It is our hope that he and his buddies remain safe and return home soon!

Hand Protection, High Visibility Safety

WORK GLOVES: FUNCTIONALITY AND STYLE

Company health and safety experts know that selecting the right gloves for their workers is a vital part of ensuring the success of keeping their employees hands’ protected.  Depending on the particular hazards of the job, much thought must go into making the right choice.  Style is also important to workers and helps ensure compliance.  Some PPE (personal protective equipment) may be unattractive, but leading glove manufacturers have gotten the message from retail and athletic clothing markets and developed fashionable, yet functional styles that workers will wear. 

Health and safety experts also know that wearing a pair of gloves will not protect the hands of workers unless those workers are careful in performing their work duties, which includes being aware of the dangers their hands are exposed to, even while wearing gloves.  Because gloves are made of materials that protect from abrasions, nicks, vibrations, and other hazards, some employees may think they are invincible.  They are required to wear their PPE at all times on the job.  If there are periods that they do not have to wear gloves, glove guards are handy to attach the gloves to clothing, where they are readily accessible. 

Of course, as in any setting where PPE is required, training is mandated before the person starts his/her job.  They must understand how important their personal protective equipment is, how to take care of it, and the need to report and replace any damaged or worn product.  Workers that must wear gloves as part of their PPE must remember that unsafe conditions and acts cause injuries.  The most important thing a worker can do is to keep those gloves on at all times, while working carefully.  Be sure they fit and are comfortable, and if they look good, that’s a plus, too.  There is no one type of glove that will prevent all hand injuries, and no glove will help avoid injury if it is not worn.  Individuals must continually think about how he/she is handling the product he is working on, lifting, or running a particular type of equipment.  He doesn’t want to go home missing a finger, or worse. 

There are gloves that are high-visibility, others for furnishing good grip and protection.  Women want to wear gloves that are made for their smaller hands.  Gloves must fit properly to help the hands do their job.  If they are too large, grip is lost.  Some gloves furnish better ventilation than others, and there are fingerless gloves for mobility, yet they still allow good grip.  Then there are gloves for the gardeners, for ranchers and farmers, and drivers.  We see football players wearing gloves, as well as golfers (a golf glove).  Why not look as sharp as they do, when we are working?  I plan on getting some hi-vis gloves to wear this winter when taking walks with Buddy.  

Gloves furnish dexterity, sensitivity, durability, and tactility.  Each type excels in one or more of these descriptions.  Some medical and industrial grade gloves may not meet the “style” factor, but play a very important part in protecting healthcare, food processing, and other types of workers’ hands.   Leather gloves are soft and supple, yet are protective.  One glove  that even helps “do” the job in dark areas (such as under the hood of a car), has a light on the back of it!  

Employees must be taught to know that PPE is the last (but very important) line of defense for their protection.  Workers are the front line.