SAFETY GLOVES
SIMPLY THE BEST
Bernard Garvey, Technology Director at Polyco, offers his advice to those responsible for purchasing high quality gloves in the workplace.
What are the most important things to consider when buying gloves? First and foremost, it’s not the gloves but the hazard they’re going to be used with that’s most important. You need to look into the hazards that are going to present themselves on a daily basis, and once they are identified, try to eliminate those hazards as much as you can. Only then can you really decide what gloves to buy. Carrying out a Hand Safety Assessment at this stage is really useful, because that helps to establish which gloves are best for the environment they’re going to be worn in. There are so many factors to take into consideration, from how the gloves fit and the materials they are made from, to whether there’s a risk of minor abrasions or extreme heat. Sometimes there’s a compromise; there might not be a perfect solution for the needs of the end user. However I’d always recommend trying to get as close as you possibly can to what’s going to work for your employees on a day-to-day basis.
Do you have any advice for those looking to purchase gloves? Don’t just look for the lowest price. Those who are researching and, ultimately, purchasing the gloves, need to take a huge range of factors, including longevity, into account. It might look like the cheapest glove is the best option, especially if you’re buying in bulk, but I encourage purchasing managers to stay away
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from looking at the gloves as just another product with another code; just something else you order to get the job done.
The gloves are going to belong to someone for a long time. It’s going to be used by an actual person, so it’s important that that person is comfortable, and the glove fits them properly. You’ve got to be confident that your employees are actually going to wear the gloves, to comply with safety regulations, so they have to be right for the end user, not just your bottom line. Bright colours also help with compliance issues as you can actually see people wearing them.
What are the most common pitfalls when it comes to purchasing high quality gloves? Not properly understanding the needs of the wearer. Quite often you’ll find someone who needs good cut protection because they’re exposing themselves to sharp glass every day, but no-one’s asked them whether they also need good dexterity so they can move about a lot and still be comfortable, or whether the gloves need to be able to be worn in very hot or very cold environments. Like I said before, there might not be the perfect solution every time, but you still need to ask the right questions. Speak to the glove wearer, get feedback from them; it won’t only help your purchasing decisions now, it’ll influence your decisions in the future too. It’s not only the safety of your staff that’s in
jeopardy if you get it badly wrong, it’s your entire business.
“THE GLOVES ARE GOING TO BELONG TO
SOMEONE FOR A LONG TIME. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THAT PERSON IS COMFORTABLE, AND THE GLOVE FITS THEM PROPERLY.”
Can you tell us about new legislation that’s going to impact the safety glove market? Later this year, a new version of EN388, the mechanical hazards standard, will be published, and it’ll mean that back-of-hand impact protection will be introduced for the first time. Any new impact-resistant gloves will have to pass specific tests to comply with this new standard. There are products out there that have already been specifically designed to meet the new test requirements, such as Polyco’s new Multi-Task E™, Grip It® Oil C5 TP, and Multi-Task E C5™. If the new gloves comply, they’ll be marked with a new symbol (the letter P). This will allow products offering higher levels of protection to be identified, and ensure that those working in hazardous environments are protected and feel safe at work.
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