Technical Guidance No. 3 Personal Protective Gear -- "Hand Protection" A.

Introduction: Gloves are used to protect the hands, and in some cases the arms, from chemical, physical, and biological hazards. Chemical hazards include corrosive and highly toxic substances capable of exerting a direct effect on the body through the skin. Due to differing circumstances, operations, or substances, the necessary hand protection gear must be selected according to the type of work needing to be done, and the risks associated with it. Every contractor must provide a worker being subjected to dangers to their hands while engaging in work with proper hand protection gear in order to perform the required work. The worker must use this gear, just as the gloves must also conform to international standards (the American ANSI or British standards). B. Guidance: 1. Every contractor must provide sufficient and suitable protection for the hands of any person working with coarse, abrasive, sharp, or abrasive items, such as bars, reinforced concrete, toxic or searing substances, electricity, or hot substances. 2. The type of glove to be selected must provide sufficient protection against corrosive or toxic chemicals, against skin blistering, high temperatures, injuries, shock, spraying molten metals, vibrations, or high-voltage electricity. 3. For small-scale and precise work requiring manual dexterity and accuracy, gloves made of the thinnest materials available can be selected as long as they provide sufficient protection. 4. Gloves with a surface that provides sufficient grip must be selected. 5. The length of the gloves must dependent on the depth into which the arm is expected to reach [into the hazard environment], or according to the expected level of chemical spraying. Protective gloves may be worn above or below the sleeve. 6. Electrical hazards require the use of special gloves made out of natural rubber which provide a high level of insulation, and the voltage levels that can be handled must be written clearly on the gloves (figure no. 1).

Figure no. 1 7. Workers engaging in construction work must be provided with gloves suitable for the type of work as follows: Chromium salt leather gloves, which are suitable for sandblasting and most types of work, and for handling different substances; see figure 2. Gloves made of fabric, for handling substances; see figure 3. Gloves which do not conduct electricity and which are covered in leather for handling electrical lines and perform electric work, and which must be suited for the work to be done; see figure 4. Special gloves for working with acids and chemicals, as in figure 5.

Special gloves to lessen the effect of vibrations on the hands (anti-vibration loves), as in figure 6.

Figure 3

Figure 2

Figure 5

Figure 4

Figure 6 8. In case of possible danger, such as being subjected to injury, blistering of the skin, and so forth, multipurpose gloves must be used which are made of cotton and leather that is comfortable to the hand. 9. Every person must be provided with gloves individually for themselves (the same glove should not be used jointly by more than one worker).

10. Gloves must be tested regularly and in particular directly before use, in order to detect any tears, scratches, breakage, changing, et cetera. 11. Any gloves in which a defect is noticed must be disposed of and replaced with new gloves. 12. Gloves are not recommended for use among or near the moving parts of the machine such as a drill, perforator, or near rotating shafts; the size of the glove must also be appropriate for the person. 13. Table number 1 includes a number of routine work operations performed regularly in industry; sufficient care must be taken with regard to the specialized activities to be done, as well as the type of danger at the workplace. 14. Table number 2 shows the chemical resistance characteristics of some types of gloves. 15. Additional references: The British standard specifications BS 1651 four industrial gloves. The British standard specifications BS 697 for rubber gloves for use in electrical work. The American standards ANSI J 6 glove series.