Posted: Aug 18 '16

Put a Glove on It for Hand Protection

How often do you look at your hands and feel a deep sense of appreciation for their contribution to your daily living? If you’re like me, not often, if ever. However, when we do pause and think about it I’m sure we can all agree that our hands are pretty special and our lives would be significantly impacted should something happen to them.

Our hands are vulnerable to a number of potential risks including injuries from mechanical hazards, exposure to extreme heat or cold, to strains, sprains and fractures. Hand injuries are the number one at work injury in Canada, with over 500,000 reported cases each year. No wonder many companies are recognizing the value of having a hand protection program at their worksite.

Protected Hands Are Happy Hands

Components to consider as part of a hand protection program include:

• Getting everyone at the worksite onboard
• Safety training, such as our online PPE, WHMIS or Hazard Assessment courses to name a few, in addition to appropriate site specific training
• Ensuring the worksite has the proper tools and equipment for the work required
• Sending your employees to our First Aid training; a quick and appropriate response to an injury can significantly reduce the severity of the injury and increase the chances of recovery
• An overall effective safety program where managers and supervisors adhere to the program and ensure employees are participating in the safety program.

There are many safety equipment options in the Edmonton area that can protect our hands, including mechanical barriers, gloves, using tools in place of our hands, using the proper tools, staying alert and knowing the risks to name a few.

Fits Like a Glove Worksite PPE

If your worksite has a number of different risk factors to consider when choosing your PPE it is wise to consult with a professional PPE supplier. Consult the people that will be wearing the gloves as well. Providing a comfortable, properly fitted glove that is suitable to the task greatly increases the chances of your employees wearing their gloves consistently. Evaluate whether it would make sense to have each employee have their name on their gloves. A glove that has a name in it will be better looked after.

It also helps prevent employees from grabbing the first available pair they see without them actually knowing if it’s the right glove for their scope of work. Assigning gloves to individuals gives you a chance to consider the person’s job responsibilities, what level of protection they require and a proper fit.

Whether it’s gloves for protecting your hands or other safety equipment in Edmonton, at MI Safety we are dedicated to making sure that you work safely and that you are properly protected for the job. Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your safety equipment needs.