Protection Without Restriction

Sunday, October 11, 2009

at 2:06 AM

Protecting your hands while at work is essential, and Showa work gloves have been developed to provide a wide range of solutions for a variety of potential risks. Your hands are one of the most important tools available to you, and any damage, no matter how slight or severe, can have a very serious impact on the whole of the rest of your life. For something so fundamental to being human and coping in the world, our hands are extremely vulnerable and subject to a wide range of physical dangers and risks. In the workplace this is particularly a concern because our hands very often come into contact with dangerous chemicals, heavy machinery or sharp blades or edges.

Whether it be toxic chemicals which could burn the skin, seep through the skin into the body, or heavy machinery which could crush a finger in a split second, or even a blade which could change your life forever in the blink of an eye, it is imperative that all possible care is taken by both the worker and the company to protect your hands.

Any business has a legal duty, quite apart from a moral one, to make sure that employees are protected, and that health and safety regulations and policies are in place to minimize any risk. But because there are so many different potential hazards, there cannot be one single solution. It is no good advising worker to wear gloves, since in many cases this would do precious little good. A leather glove may well be sliced through by a saw's blade and rubber gloves could be dissolved just as easily as your skin should they come into contact with certain chemicals.

It is for this reason that Showa Gloves UK have worked alongside many of the leading industries and identified both hazards and solutions, developing a wide range of Showa work gloves which provide protection for workers' hands in a whole range of different situations.

For example, riggers often experience abrasion cuts to their hands, and many gloves which are worn by riggers wear through quite rapidly. When there is regular abrasive contact between the palm area and rough metal, joints or edges, the material needs to be strengthened in this region. The danger otherwise is that from the worker's viewpoint the gloves look fine, but underneath they are wearing thin, and exposing the tender undersides of the hands to cuts, grazes and abrasive wear and tear. Nitrile Grip Palm gloves have been manufactured with an extra thick layer to ensure maximum protection. Whether you work in an environment where this would be necessary, or simply for home use carrying out DIY, these gloves offer a surprising degree of flexibility and comfort, whilst maximizing the protection offered.

This flexibility and dexterity is essential in many jobs, and there have often been issues in the past with gloves being created with such a thick layer of protection that the worker is greatly restricted in terms of movement. This in itself can lead to accidents, and even workers removing their gloves to carry out particular tasks. Clearly this is inappropriate, which is why Showa work gloves have been created using strong, durable materials, and adding the thick layers of protection only where they are most needed.

Another good example is the Showa 555 Cut Level 5 Dyneema Glove which has been designed for those who work with sharp blades and saws. Cuts to hands are common, and wearing metal reinforced gloves is essential to help guard against accidental injury. But often the wrists are ignored, and with gloves stopping short at the wrist, this becomes dangerous. A cut to the hands can be severe, but because the arteries in the wrist are so near the surface, a cut can easily result in massive blood loss. Showa work gloves have been designed with an extra long wrist cuff to help protect this area of the arm in addition to the hand.

How many times have you been trying to carry out a particular task, either at work or perhaps at home undertaking some DIY or even a bit of gardening, only to find yourself unable to pick up a pencil, write a quick note, pick up a screw or some other tool, and so removed your gloves for a minute? And how often have you then gone on to cut or damage your hand because you didn't put the glove back on?

This balance of protection versus dexterity is something which Showa Gloves UK have been working on for many years, and by creating a seamless anatomically formed nylon liner they have been able to create gloves which fit, well - like a glove! By fitting more accurately there is less movement, less slack material, and an increased ability to feel what you are doing and work properly without being unduly restricted. It is this balance of protection versus usability, as well as the wide range of materials, designs and solutions available which have resulted in Showa Gloves UK being one of industry's leading supplier of protective gloves.