1 Hand Protection April 2010 Monthly Safety Topic AMEC Earth & Environmental WEAR THE CORRECT PPE DO A RISK ASSESSMENT FOLLOW THE RULES ALWAYS TAKE CARE YOU MUST INTERVENE MANAGE ANY CHANGE

2 Would you try to catch with one of these... hit by... Without one of these?

3 Would you try to deal with one of these... hit by... Without one of these?

4 Or take these... out of... without?

5 Your Hands Your hands – don’t take them for granted Human hands are unique and one of our greatest assets. Can you imagine not being able to work with your hands? Hand injuries can vary from minor cuts or irritation to amputations.

6 Hand Injuries A hand injury can ruin your day or your life Hand injuries include cuts, burns, fractures, amputations, nerve damage and dermatitis. About 20% of disabling workplace injuries involve the hands. Skin irritation, dermatitis and even poisoning can occur by handling chemicals with bare hands.

7 Injury Statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2006) 205,000 Wrist/Hand/Finger Injuries 1,183,500 Total Injuries with Days Away from Work

8 First Things First Do A Risk Assessment

9 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HAZARDS TO THE HANDS???  Sharp objects  Abrasive objects  Pinch points  Punctures  High temperatures  Low temperatures  Chemicals  Machinery  Electricity  Blood-borne pathogens  Insects  Spiders  Other critters  Hand tools  Power tools  Material handling  Line of fire  Jewelry when using machinery  Nuns with rulers  Moving objects  Gravity  Friend’s dog that “doesn’t” bite  Vibrations  Splinters  Etc.

10 MITIGATE THE IDENTIFIED HAZARDS

11 Engineering Controls: The Preferred Method  Engineering Controls are built into an operation and require no activation from the employee. Essentially Engineering Controls eliminate the hazard.  Examples include guards, self-capping syringe needles, ventilation systems, fume hoods and substitution to a less hazardous process or chemical.

12 Administrative Controls: Second Line of Defense  Administrative Controls are changes in work practices and procedures implemented to reduce exposure.  Less effective method used when engineering controls are not feasible.  Examples include written operating procedures, training, signs, and limiting exposure times.

13 Last and Least: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  PPE is the last line of defense  The hazard is still there.  The PPE places a relatively thin barrier between you and the hazard.

14 Other Considerations Before Selecting a Glove

15 Glove Limitations Gloves can get caught in rotating machinery. Some people are allergic to latex gloves. Gloves can actually cause more problems if chemicals get inside glove. Gloves can fail in conditions of extreme temperatures, high mechanical force, high vibration or handling extremely harsh chemicals.

16 Glove Sizing Use properly fitting gloves that give you the needed dexterity. Too big A better fit Glove Size & Fit Gloves come in many sizes. Make sure you glove fits like a...

17 Glove Sizing With a ruler, start at index finger and measure the width of your hand in the knuckle area DistanceSize 2 to 2½”6X Small 2½ to 3”7Small 3 to 3½”8Medium 3½ to 4”9Large 4 to 4½”10X Large 4½ to 5”11XX Large

18 Glove Use & Care Your hands should be clean before using gloves. Fabric and leather gloves should be cleaned regularly or discarded. Latex gloves should not be used by latex-sensitive people.

19 Glove Use & Care Some common-sense rules about gloves Replace gloves if they have cuts, tears, holes or defects. Make sure gloves are the right length for the job.

20 Glove Use and Care Don’t use fabric or leather gloves to handle liquid chemicals. Use the right glove for the job No! Yes!

21 Client Considerations What do our clients require?

22 Types of Gloves

23 Leather Palm Gloves  Pros  Good general work glove  Protects against abrasions  Some heat and cold protection  Breathable  Generally comfortable  Cons  Limited cut and impact protection  No vibration protection  Possibly poor grip  Poor dexterity  Absorbs liquids  Also available in insulated version for cold weather

24 Cotton Gloves  Pros  Good general work glove  Protects against abrasions  Wear as a liner glove for protection of outer glove and some cold protection  Breathable  Generally comfortable  Cons  Limited cut and impact protection  No vibration protection  Possibly poor grip  Absorbs liquids

25 Coated Palm Gloves  Pros  Palms coated with Latex, Nitrile, or Polyurethane  Good general work glove  Good fit  Protects against abrasions  Great Dexterity  Good Grip  Nitrile good for jobs with oily applications  Cons  Limited cut and impact protection  No vibration protection  Limited chemical/moisture protection

26 Cut Resistant Gloves  Pros  Good general work glove  Protects against abrasions  Protects against sharp edges on metal, glass, and wood  Breathable  Generally comfortable  Good dexterity  Some have coated palms  Cons  Limited impact protection  No vibration protection  Not Chemical resistant  Required at some client sites

27 Impact Resistant or Mechanics Gloves  Pros  Good general work glove  Protects against abrasions  Protects against impacts  Some heat and cold protection  Tight fitting  Good dexterity  Good Grip  Cons  Limited cut protection  Limited vibration protection  No chemical/moisture protection  Required on some client sites

28 Anti Vibration Gloves  Pros  Good general work glove  Protects against abrasions  Protects from vibrations  Cons  Limited impact protection  Not Chemical resistant

29 Temperature Resistant Gloves  Pros  Protects hands from extreme temperatures  Cons  Limited other protections

30 Task and Other Gloves  Gloves are available for specific tasks:  Cold Weather  Drivers Gloves  Framer Gloves  Material Handling  Welder  Voltage Protection  High Visibility  Etc.

31 Chemical Resistant Gloves

32 Corrosives – will burn or irritate the skin Solvents – will dry the skin out, may irritate, burn or blister, some are absorbed into the body Pesticides – absorbed into the body Other chemicals – a variety of effects The kind of chemical determines the hazard

33 Chemical-resistant gloves facts Chemical-resistant gloves are not totally “chemical-proof” Permeation -- Chemicals penetrate gloves on a molecular basis without any visible damage. The thicker the glove, the more resistant it is to chemicals. Degradation -- Chemicals will also break down (swell, crack or weaken) the glove material over time. Thick is better than Thin Penetration -- Chemicals will pass through hole and imperfections in the material.

34 Chemical-Resistant Gloves Chemical glove selection Good chemical gloves are made of Viton ®, butyl, nitrile, neoprene, or PVC or combinations of these. Gloves are selected according to the type of chemical. No single glove material will protect against all chemicals.

35 Using chemical-resistant gloves Throw away gloves whenever degradation is visible or you know chemicals have leaked inside. You should know what chemical you are handling and how long the gloves will keep the chemical out. When handling highly toxic chemicals, two layers of chemical-resistant gloves can provide additional protection.

36 To determine what glove material is best for a specific chemical. Consult a compatibility table, proved by glove manufacturers.

37 TypeAdvantagesDisadvantagesUse Against Natural rubberLow cost, good physical properties, dexterity Poor vs. oils, greases, organics. Frequently imported; may be poor quality Bases, alcohols, dilute water solutions; fair vs. aldehydes, ketones. Natural rubber blendsLow cost, dexterity, better chemical resistance than natural rubber vs. some chemicals Physical properties frequently inferior to natural rubber Same as natural rubber Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Low cost, very good physical properties, medium cost, medium chemical resistance Plasticizers can be stripped; frequently imported may be poor quality Strong acids and bases, salts, other water solutions, alcohols NeopreneMedium cost, medium chemical resistance, medium physical properties NAOxidizing acids, anilines, phenol, glycol ethers NitrileLow cost, excellent physical properties, dexterity Poor vs. benzene, methylene chloride, trichloroethylene, many ketones Oils, greases, aliphatic chemicals, xylene, perchloroethylene, trichloroethane; fair vs. toluene ButylSpeciality glove, polar organicsExpensive, poor vs. hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents Glycol ethers, ketones, esters Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)Specialty glove, resists a very broad range of organics, good physical properties Very expensive, water sensitive, poor vs. light alcohols Aliphatics, aromatics, chlorinated solvents, ketones (except acetone), esters, ethers Fluoro- elastomer (Viton) ™ * Specialty glove, organic solventsExtremely expensive, poor physical properties, poor vs. some ketones, esters, amines Aromatics, chlorinated solvents, also aliphatics and alcohols Norfoil (Silver Shield)Excellent chemical resistancePoor fit, easily punctures, poor grip, stiff Use for Hazmat work Chemical-Resistant Gloves Chart

38 Removing Contaminated Gloves Remove contaminated gloves safely and properly Badly contaminated gloves are impossible to clean. Removal should be done in a way so that the bare hands do not touch the outside of the gloves. 20

39 More Info and Where To Get Gloves  Check out the website for our preferred supplier: Airgas.com Here’s the Glove Section

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