The number one tool that most people use when they are at work is their hands, which not only do a great deal every day but which would be very difficult to do the job without. Despite this, making sure that they have the right work gloves for safety purposes is often not on people’s priority list, which is a serious mistake.
It is not enough just to wear safety work gloves, it is crucial to wear the right safety work gloves.
Why wearing the right work gloves is important
Hands are not just very important tools, they are tools that can be very difficult to fix. Serious hand injuries can cause life-long effects such as loss of dexterity, grip and motion.
However the good news is that the majority of such injuries can be prevented simply by wearing the right work gloves. The technology behind safety gloves has progressed to the point that many of them now include features such as being anti-impact, anti-vibration, cut-resistant and heat-resistant, as well as many more. It should not be difficult in today’s world to find work gloves that offer protection from any workplace hazards.
Choosing work gloves
No single type of work gloves will be able to protect your hands from every type of safety hazard, so it is therefore crucial to make sure that you choose the right work gloves for the environment that you work in. While employers are obliged to provide the right work gloves, you should never leave your safety in the workplace entirely up to other people and if you believe the work gloves you have been given do not provide sufficient protection from the hazards you face then speak up immediately.
There are a number of tips that can help you to assess such hazards yourself and decide if the work gloves you are wearing are adequate to the task.
One good tip is to take the time to really think about the environment you will be in and the tasks you will have to perform there so that you have an accurate idea of your everyday work routine, and determine the hazards that you are likely to come into contact with that may need some protection for your hands.
This would include the likes of chemicals in addition to physical hazards such as tearing, fire, biological hazards, abrasions, puncturing and temperature.
You will also need to work out how much flexibility and touch sensitivity you will need in order to carry out your tasks both safely and effectively. This will have an impact on the thickness of the work gloves you choose, as a textured glove may be required to help with grip.
Working through this list will provide you with a better idea of the type of work gloves that is right for you, which in turn will make it easier to find the ones that meet your criteria. Choosing the right work gloves is as much about comfort as it is about safety.