There are many hazards on a building site, but one of the most common injuries that builders suffer from is hand injuries. A study from 2021, which was conducted by Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), reveals that of the 26,139 injuries that were reported to them affected the fingers, thumbs, hands, wrists or the rest of the arm (23% of workplace injuries).
These statistics show the importance of wearing construction gloves to protect your fingers and hands, so read on to find out more about the type of gloves for PPE and their importance.
What is PPE equipment?
PPE is an abbreviation for ‘personal protective equipment’, and this is a broad term that is used for safety equipment such as safety goggles, construction gloves, steel toe-capped work boots, and hard hats.
PPE equipment is for an individual, whilst equipment such as polythene sheeting or carpet protection film is used for everyone’s benefit on a site and to help protect a client’s flooring when a renovation or work is being conducted.
Why are gloves for PPE important?
Wearing construction gloves is a must and here are just some of the major reasons why you need them if you are working on a building site.
- Safety – Wearing gloves for PPE will help prevent injuries and can protect your hands from severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, and chemical burns.
- Protection against the weather – Construction workers will work in a variety of weathers and another great benefit of wearing protective gloves is that they will protect your hands and fingers from temperature extremes, especially during cold snaps.
- Helps you avoid taking sick days – Wearing construction gloves can help to prevent injuries, which can lead to lost work days and increased healthcare costs.
- It’s the law - Personal protective equipment is controlled with a range of legislation as Chris Salmon, who writes for the Construction Management online magazine, explains: “It is the site manager’s responsibility to ensure that workers wear, and are trained in the use of, all PPE required for their safety. Workers should be told why they are required to wear the equipment, and the limitations of the PPE should also be explained. If gloves have a maximum safe temperature, for example, or are not suitable for use with certain chemicals, this should be made clear.”
What to look for in construction gloves
When looking to buy gloves for PPE, there are certain things you need in order to make sure you are buying gloves which are fit for purpose. Here we take you through some elements that you need to look at.
Grip, fit and comfort
When you are looking at PPE gloves, they must fit properly and should be snug but also allow you to properly grip blocks and other objects.
If your gloves are too tight, they can restrict the movement of your hand and ill-fitting gloves can mean a worker is unable to do their job in a safe manner. Gloves which do not fit properly can cause blisters.
Pawa, who specialises in work gloves, said it is also important that gloves have a good grip on them: “Wet weather also raises the question of grip, as does any work involving lubricant or liquids. The best construction gloves will offer good grip, which ensures the wearer can carry out tasks without fear of dropping something. When you consider that a lot of construction work is carried out at height, this becomes particularly important from a health and safety perspective.”
Endurance
You should pick gloves for PPE that can be used multiple times. If you are an employer buying lots of construction gloves for your workers or an employee buying your own gloves, it is very expensive if you are constantly having to replace them.
That’s why it is recommended that you buy gloves and other PPE equipment from a trusted source within the industry as you will be ensured the products you are buying are high-quality.
Should provide protection against multiple hazards
The gloves you buy should be multi-use ones that can be used for a variety of jobs and will protect you against different hazards.
There are so many different types of gloves available that it can be difficult to choose one which can be used for multiple jobs. Rubber gloves are a popular type of glove as they can be worn when you are working with chemicals or oils, but they are also great for electricians to use as rubber is a great insulator or for general construction work or welding to protect against cuts.
Waterproof and warm
Construction workers will spend a lot of time outside and it is therefore vital that you have construction gloves which are warm. There are many thermal construction gloves on the market, and they are a good choice during the coldest months of the year.
Rain goes hand-in-hand with the cold and when you are choosing work gloves you need to pick ones which are waterproof. If you can find winter work gloves which are not only water resistant but offer thermal protection, then that is the best option.
As you will know from working in the UK, it doesn’t just rain during the winter months and showers are not uncommon during the summer which means you can wear waterproof gloves all year round.
This guide looks at the importance of PPE gloves for construction and shares details about why it is a vital piece of kit and what you should look out for before buying new gloves. Here at Proguard, you can find a variety of solutions to protect your building materials and equipment.
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