Hand Protection

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

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 About 20% of disabling workplace injuries involve the hands. Hand injuries include cuts, burns, fractures, amputations, nerve damage and dermatitis. 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. 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. Etc. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HAZARDS TO THE HANDS???

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

17. Glove Sizing With a ruler, start at index finger and measure the width of your hand in the knuckle area

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 Use the right glove for the job Don’t use fabric or leather gloves to handle liquid chemicals. 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. The kind of chemical determines the hazard 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

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. Degradation -- Chemicals will also break down (swell, crack or weaken) the glove material over time. The thicker the glove, the more resistant it is to chemicals. Penetration -- Chemicals will pass through hole and imperfections in the material. Thick is better than Thin

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

35. Using chemical-resistant gloves You should know what chemical you are handling and how long the gloves will keep the chemical out. 1 Hr? 8 hrs? Throw away gloves whenever degradation is visible or you know chemicals have leaked inside. 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. 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