Impact Protective Gloves: Why They're Important and the Standards Involved
Every day, safety professionals face the challenge of preventing hand injuries in high-risk environments. These injuries can be costly and debilitating, affecting productivity and employee well-being. Without proper protection, workers in industries like oil and gas, mining, and manufacturing are at constant risk. This article will explore the critical role of impact protective gloves in safeguarding workers, outline the standards that ensure their effectiveness, and show how modern impact protective products can help you meet your safety needs and requirements.
What Are Impact Protective Gloves?
Impact protective gloves are specialized PPE designed to shield hands from injuries caused by impacts from falling objects or heavy machinery. Made from flexible materials like thermoplastic rubber (TPR), these gloves absorb and dissipate shock, reducing injury risk without restricting movement. They provide flexible protection, allowing workers to perform tasks comfortably and safely.
These gloves also feature padded palms and reinforced fingers for extra protection in high-risk areas, preventing injuries from direct impacts and sharp objects. Buil to endure harsh working conditions and repeated impacts, understanding the unique benefits of these gloves can highlight their essential role in keeping workers safe in various demanding work environments.
Importance of Impact Protective Gloves
Hand injuries rank among the most common workplace injuries, but many can be prevented with the appropriate PPE. According to OSHA, 71% of hand injuries could be avoided with the correct PPE, particularly safety gloves. The National Safety Council estimates that the cost of a single hand injury ranges from $540 to $26,000, factoring in medical expenses, lost productivity, and potential legal fees.
Using impact protective gloves offers numerous benefits. These gloves prevent severe injuries such as broken bones, muscle damage, and injuries to tendons and ligaments. This protection is crucial in high-risk industries where heavy machinery and tools are commonly used. For example:
Oil and Gas: Workers in the oil and gas industry often handle heavy tools and equipment. Impact gloves with reinforced fingers and padded palms can prevent injuries from dropping tools or handling rough materials.
Manufacturing: Manufacturing environments involve machinery and sharp objects that pose risks to hands. Impact gloves provide the necessary protection to prevent lacerations and bruises, ensuring workers can safely handle materials.
Mining: In mining, the risk of falling rocks and equipment is high. Impact gloves help protect workers from such hazards, allowing them to work in challenging conditions with reduced risk of injury.
By investing in high-quality impact gloves, companies can ensure the safety and well-being of their employees, ultimately leading to a more productive and positive work environment. Having highlighted their importance, it's essential to understand the standards that ensure these gloves offer the best protection.
Standards for Impact Protective Gloves
The effectiveness of impact protective gloves is primarily determined by the standards they meet. Let's examine these in detail.
ANSI/ISEA 138-2019 Standard
The ANSI/ISEA 138-2019 standard sets minimum performance, classification, and labeling requirements for gloves protecting knuckles and fingers from impacts. This standard helps safety professionals choose the right gloves, improving job safety. It provides a clear, consistent framework that manufacturers must meet, ensuring workers are equipped with reliable protection. The standard also promotes transparency in product labeling, making it easier for safety managers to select gloves based on performance levels suited to their specific needs.
Impact Testing Procedures
Impact testing involves rigorous processes to ensure the gloves provide adequate protection. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:
Glove Preparation: The gloves are cut in half and placed on an anvil to simulate real-world conditions.
Impact Simulation: A striker with a force of 5 Joules is dropped on specific back-of-hand locations, including knuckles and fingers.
Force Measurement: A force gauge measures the energy transferred through the glove to determine its effectiveness.
Scoring: The testing covers multiple points on the glove, and the lowest-performing average score is used to rate the glove's impact protection level.
This meticulous testing ensures that the gloves provide reliable protection against common impact hazards in various industries.
Lab Testing Requirements
ISEA 138 requires lab testing in facilities meeting the ISO/IEC 17205 standard. This ensures:
Credibility: Lab accreditation guarantees that testing procedures and results are reliable.
Performance Claims: Glove performance claims are verified under controlled conditions, providing safety professionals with confidence in the product's protective capabilities.
Easy Reference: Performance levels are labeled directly on the gloves, allowing for quick and easy identification of suitable gloves for specific tasks.
Understanding these standards is crucial, but knowing which gloves to trust is just as important. That's where Globus comes in, offering high-quality impact protective gloves you can rely on.
Globus: High-Quality Impact Protective Gloves
Globus is dedicated to protecting workers by offering innovative, high-quality PPE. Our products emphasize safety, reliability, and wearability, ensuring workers remain protected and comfortable. We prioritize continuous improvement and adaptability, keeping pace with evolving safety standards and industry demands.
At Globus, we craft our impact gloves with cutting-edge materials and technologies. Our Torq gloves combine state-of-the-art shock-absorbing features with exceptional durability and protection. Designed as heavy-duty, impact-resistant gloves, they offer high cut protection and outstanding grip in wet and oily environments. We use materials like TPR to ensure our gloves provide excellent impact resistance without sacrificing flexibility. Additionally, the high-visibility design enhances hand signaling in poorly lit conditions.
Impact protective gloves are essential for preventing hand injuries in high-risk industries. Globus provides innovative, high-quality gloves under the Skytec TORQ range, designed to meet these rigorous standards and cater to the specific needs of various sectors. Choose Skytec to ensure workers' safety, boost productivity, and support sustainability. Prioritize hand safety today—explore how Globus can help you achieve your safety goals and elevate your workplace to a new level of protection.
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