Plant & Works Engineering May 2022

Focus on: PPE Handling & Safety Matters May 2022 www.pwemag.co.uk Plant & Works Engineering | 27 But, even with all these safety measures in place, some hazards may be unavoidable. This is where personal protective equipment (PPE) comes in. PPE such as cut-protective gloves is a worker’s last line of defense against hand injuries. But, unless they are selected carefully, they may not guarantee effective protection. Understanding risk and protection levels is crucial, so is choosing gloves that are comfortable to wear. Choosing the right cut protection Selecting the appropriate level of cut resistance for the application can be challenging. The latest EN388:2016 standard classifies gloves according to the level of cut protection, from A (the lowest) to F (the highest). The glove’s marking must also include information on abrasion, tear, and puncture resistance (from 1 to 4) and indicate whether the glove is impact resistant (P). Choosing the wrong cut-resistance level can have dire consequences. If the protection level is too low, the worker may be at greater risk of cuts. If it’s too high, the gloves might stand in the way of dexterity and the worker might be tempted to take them off. Comfort is key Choosing the appropriate level of comfort and dexterity for the task is paramount. Especially for workers who wear gloves for prolonged periods, lack of comfort can lead to fatigue. This can not only harm productivity; it is also a major cause of injuries. According to the Health and Safety Executive, work accidents due to fatigue cost the UK up to £240 million per year 9 . As mentioned above, limited comfort and dexterity can also encourage a worker to take their gloves off to perform certain tasks, particularly those requiring precision. As a result, the risk of suffering cut-related injuries increases. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, seven in ten hand injuries are due to workers not wearing protective gloves 10 . 1 1 https://visualisation.osha.europa.eu/esener/en/survey/detailpage- european-bar-chart/2019/osh- management/en_1/E3Q200_7/activity-sector/14/11 1 2 https://visualisation.osha.europa.eu/esener/en/survey/detailpage- european-bar-chart/2019/osh- management/en_1/E3Q200_7/activity-sector/3/11 1 3 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics- explained/index.php?title=Accidents_at_work_- _statistics_on_causes_and_circumstances#Cause_of_accident 1 4 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/HSW_PH3_ 08__custom_1245650/default/table?lang=en 1 5 https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh2021.pdf 1 6 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/HSW_PH3_ 08__custom_1976550/default/table?lang=en 1 7 https://www.osha.gov/safetypays/estimator 1 8 https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/steps-needed-to- manage-risk.htm 1 9 https://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/fatigue.htm 10 https://www.lhsfna.org/understanding-the-causes-of-occupational- hand-injuries/ *Joel Denardis is Global Marketing Manager, DuPont Kevlar Industrials HART DOOR SYSTEMS has announced it has redesigned its logo and launched a refreshed website to improve the visibility of the company online. “Both the identity and the website are important elements of the company’s marketing mix and refreshing the website and the overall identity go hand in hand. This is the first major overhaul of these elements for over seven years,” says Nick Hart, Hart’s managing director “Within the web we have focused on four core sections – high speed doors, fire and security shutters as well as general industrial products, underlining our engineered for endurance mantra as well as emphasizing our World class technology and global delivery. “Further the website is very visitor friendly with access to datasheets and other downloads so that we engage with our customers and potential customers.” Hart has also taken the opportunity to modernise its logo as part of the process. “It is clean and says everything about us – we are Hart after all and our business is designing and manufacturing door systems,” adds Mr Hart. t | 0191 214 0404 w | www.hartdoors.com Hand protection specialist UNIGLOVES has announced it has launched a new nitrile disposable glove – BioTouch – combining chemical resistance, comfort and grip with innovative, environmentally friendly, biodegradable technology. The company says the result is a glove which, after its working life, will achieve 90% biodegradation in landfill after just 490 days compared to traditional nitrile gloves which can take over 100 years. Providing the wearer with high levels of comfort, flexibility and dexterity, BioTouch is resistant to a range of chemicals and offers improved grip in wet and oily conditions thanks to its textured fingertips. It is also compatible for use with mobile, tablet and touchscreen displays, has been tested to EN374 and EN1186 and is manufactured to medical grade standards. t | 0800 049 6602 e | enquiries@unigloves.co.uk w | https://unigloves.co.uk/ Fresh identity Industry Update Biodegradable nitrile glove