Hand injuries are common in the workplace. Many of these injuries result due to burns and chemical exposures. To keep workers safe from such injuries responsible companies require chemical resistant gloves. Also, wearing hand gloves for chemical use is not just a matter of choice but is essential according to the rules and requirements of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). However, not every employee needs to wear chemical resistant gloves but only those who are involved in the handling of chemicals such as workers who change a cartridge of toner, work with adhesives, wash engine parts, cleaning and maintenance services, changing the oil or other lubricants, painting and pouring substances from one container to another.
Although most people consider chemicals as liquids, it’s important to note chemical gloves should also be used when working with other types of chemicals. Whether in solid or gas form, chemicals can harm your skin or enter your bloodstream so using proper chemical safety equipment is highly essential. Moreover, workers who use pressurized chemical substances that can easily be infused under the skin should wear gloves that are chemical resistant as well as puncture-resistant.
When selecting chemical resistant gloves, one should be aware of which materials will be used to handle, the chemical concentration level, working conditions, the temperature of chemicals, duration and frequency of interaction with the chemicals, length to be protected (hand, forearm, arm), level of dexterity needed, grip specifications, and size and comfort.
Chemical resistant gloves are useful for industries such as commercial fishing, maintenance, automobile, mining, oil and lubricant, mechanical work, construction and petrochemical.
The commonly used anti-chemical gloves are coated gloves which include latex gloves and nitrile gloves.
Latex Gloves:
Latex is light and stretchy so it fits the wearer ‘s hand nicely. Latex gloves are comfortable and have exceptional tensile strength, elasticity and resistance to temperature. Besides avoiding abrasions from grinding and polishing, these gloves also protect against liquid solutions such as acids, alkalis, salts, and ketones.
Latex gloves commonly are used in laboratories, food handling, chemical plants, janitorial work, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
Nitrile Gloves:
Nitrile gloves are made of a copolymer that protects against chlorinated solvents including trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. They provide safety when dealing with oils, greases, acids, caustics, and alcohols but are not typically advised for use with strong oxidizing agents, aromatic solvents, ketones, and acetates. Nitrile gloves conform to the hand to have a tight, supportive fit for extended periods. Nitrile gloves are also very resistant to punctures. Moreover, punctures are much easier to detect in a nitrile glove than in many other chemical-resistant materials, that simplifies visual inspection.
Elite Leather provides the best quality coated gloves in nitrile as well as latex. Explore our collection today..