FEATURE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
HANDS-ON ADVICE FOR selecting the appropriate gloves
● Training: what do employers need to know about the hazards, risks, controls, procedures and PPE? ● Procedures: what procedures, personal hygiene or signage are required to support the above?
Paul Lyons, product and procurement manager for gloves at Arco offers expert advice on choosing the correct hand protection
L
ast year a glass-making company was prosecuted for neglecting the safety of
its workers after an employee was injured using an industrial high-pressure jet washer to clean a production line. The employee suffered a severe cut to the base of his left index finger when the lance of the 1500-bar jet washer fell from his grip. The worker had been given unsuitable protective clothing with no instruction to wear safety gloves. This demonstrates that unprotected hands are incredibly vulnerable in the workplace and it is imperative that all employers properly assess the type of PPE their workers need. 2012/2013 figures released by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) showed more than 17,400 handling injuries to employees with 7% being major and more than 25% over seven-day injuries. Together with data from 2010/11 where it was reported 2,987 workers were “injured through cuts from sharp/coarse material or equipment or from trapped fingers” it is clear that hand protection remains a critical issue. The Health and Safety at Work Act etc
1974 states that: “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure; so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees”; this includes looking at what
22 MAY 2014 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
risks are present and taking sensible measures to tackle them. Employers are bound by the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 that state that whenever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways PPE should be supplied; it must be: ● properly assessed before use to make sure it is fit for purpose; ● maintained and stored properly; ● provided with instructions and training on how to use it safely; and ● used correctly by employees.
RISK ASSESSMENT Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 employers are required to have specific arrangements in place to plan, organise, assess, control, monitor and review the working environment. This includes completing regular risk assessments to highlight key issues including: ● Eliminate: can the substance, task or process be eliminated? ● Reduce or substitute: can a less harmful substance be used or exposure reduced? ● Isolate: can the process be contained or can workers be shielded from it? ● PPE: Which body parts need to be protected and how?
SELECTING THE RIGHT GLOVE If hand protection is deemed to be required the selection process can be a complex and difficult task; the glove, gauntlet or sleeve must: ● be accredited to meet the required standard. It should comply with EN legislation and address the requirements identified in your risk assessment; ● be the most appropriate material for the application. There are many combinations of yarn/liner/coating/dip that all have different qualities; ● be fit for purpose; chemical gauntlets for handling chemicals etc; ● protect the user. Should an accident occur you must be sure that the PPE provides a robust defence; ● protect the product from user contamination. There are applications including chemical, decontamination and cleanrooms where a barrier between person and product is required. ● be comfortable. Getting the fit and feel right will encourage wearer compliance; ● be as dexterous, sensitive and ergonomic as possible for each job; ● be multi functional where necessary. Wearers may need more than one type of protection eg cut and chemical.
COMMON WORKPLACE HAZARDS In order to simplify the specification of suitable hand protection Arco has created a selection guide that details potential workplace hazards and the glove type that is required to minimise the risk of injury. We specialise in improving the experience by using the most ergonomic shapes, modern technical materials and design and offering the best brands on the market. Recent investment into our independently accredited product assurance laboratory demonstrates our commitment to driving improvements in quality standards across industry. We test products to recognised EN standards and beyond to ensure that we continue to deliver on both protection and quality.
Arco T: 01482 611611
www.arco.co.uk
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