Do you work in the chemicals industry, electronics industry, paint and coatings industry, printing and dyeing industry, or various other industrial jobs? These jobs may also include the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and special packaging industries. If you do you know you and your co-workers run the risk of exposing your skin to harmful chemicals, injury, and many other potential hazards. We will discuss the hand protection required by OSHA, we will dive deeper into the hazards, and finally explain the glove options available to keep you protected.
The Law:
OSHA states “Employees exposed to safety and health hazards should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, to be protected from exposure to those hazards.” To go a step further, OSHA Standard 1910.138 requires workers to use gloves to protect themselves from the absorption of harmful substances, serious cuts or lacerations, punctures, chemical and thermal burns, and temperature extremes.
The Hazards:
Contact Dermatitis- Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a variety of cleaning products, soaps or simply due to an allergy and causes painful, itching and burning rash.
Communicable Diseases- Bodily fluid can carry anything from the common cold virus to bloodborne pathogens and infectious diseases.
Sharp Objects- Nearly 1 million workers are admitted into the emergency room each year for hand injuries. Employees may be exposed to needles, broken glass, nails, splinters, wire or sharp tools while on the job.
Chemical Burns- According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a total of 16,550 nonfatal burns occurred in the workplace in 2020. Whether from a splash or from residual chemicals, accidents can result in chemical burns and that potential for injury remains in almost every work environment where chemicals are used. Even with robotics and automation handling more and more of the industrial jobs that once required workers to manually submerge parts in hazardous chemicals, the risk of hand injury from chemicals remains a major threat.
Most common workplace chemicals:
- Hydrofluoric acid
- Phosphoric acid
- Sodium hydroxide (lye)
- Ammonia
- Phosphates
- Sodium carbonate
- Lithium hydride
- Peroxide
- White phosphorus
- Gasoline
- Concrete mix
- Battery acid
- Toilet bowl cleaners or drain cleaners
The Glove Options:
Industrial use nitrile gloves provide lightweight comfort while allowing an excellent feel of delicate projects like light assembly and material handling, small electronics assembly, and other precision projects that require hand protection. Also great for light-duty maintenance and cleanup, intricate parts handling, lab analysis / technical work. Legacy Medical Sales offers a range of nitrile gloves from Gloveworks Heavy Duty 8mm gloves to a (one of our most popular) comfortable yet strong 3mm black nitrile gloves.
The protection offered by disposable industrial use nitrile gloves, referred to as its barrier effectiveness, is the ability of the industrial use of nitrile gloves to withstand viral penetration. Disposable industrial use nitrile gloves that pass Viral Penetration Tests (ASTM1671D) provide an effective barrier against various hazardous materials as mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (510-K Certified), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
It’s hard to beat nitrile disposable gloves for comfort, but our Gloveworks vinyl gloves give them a strong run for the money. They have the fit and feel of nitrile, yet they’re made of synthetic stretch vinyl. PVC, the primary material found in vinyl gloves, is the third most-produced plastic polymer and one of the least expensive choices. This characteristic makes vinyl gloves typically less costly than nitrile or latex.
Shop for gloves here: https://legacymedicalsales.com/disposable-gloves-for-use-in-industry/
Gloves play a significant role in industrial plants not only in the fight against diseases but also to protect workers against hand exposure to harmful substances, chemical or thermal burns, electrical dangers, bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures and amputations. Legacy Medical Sales has a variety of options to keep your employees safe and compliant with OSHA requirements. Not sure which glove is the best “fit” for your workplace? Simply contact us at info@legacymedicalsales.com or call 800-446-7310 and we will work with you on a custom solution.