A New Standard for Hand Protection Classifies Back-of-Hand Impact

In the industrial space, you’re probably familiar with both U.S. and European standards for industrial gloves that protect against cuts, punctures, abrasions and chemical exposure. These standards allow companies to properly compare products to find the best match for their application. Until recently, there was no criteria to help assess the performance of gloves designed to reduce the risk of back-of-hand (dorsal) impact injuries. This scenario changed in 2016 when the European hand protection standard (EN 388) was updated to include impact for the first time. Nothing occurred in the U.S. until International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) recently established testing, classification, and labeling requirements for products that offer dorsal impact protection. Here’s what you need to know about the new glove safety standard from ISEA. ANSI/IEA 138 to Rate Products This new voluntary standard is known as ANSI/ISEA 138 — and ISEA expects the final published version by the first quarter of 2019. While not an OSHA-type requirement, this standard will allow glove manufacturers to standardize what they are offering and end-users to begin comparing products on the level they are rated.  ANSI/ISEA 138 is designed to establish minimum performance, classification, and labeling requirements for hand protection products designed to protect the knuckles and fingers from impact forces while performing occupational tasks. The goal is to evaluate compliant gloves for their ability to disperse impact forces on the knuckles and fingers and then classify them accordingly. Performance Level Criteria The new standard specifies three performance levels of impact protection that a glove will offer, ranging from level one for the lowest protection to level three for the highest protection from transmitted forces. The overall performance level of a glove reflects the lowest performance level recorded during the test. For example, if the fingers and thumb only meet the performance level one criteria, but the knuckles get a performance level two rating, the glove will still be rated as performance level one. Testing Gloves Under the New Standard ANSI/ISEA 138 also outlines test requirements, equipment and method, including preparation of samples and conditioning of the gloves. It defines specific test sites on the knuckles, fingers and thumbs. It also requires that the sites be marked on the outside and back side of the glove. The standard focuses on packaging, labeling and product marking on the glove directly. Gloves will be marked with a pictogram for each of the three levels. Sites impacted during product performance testing are shown on the hand chart below. The chart shows distribution of impacts over the knuckles, fingers and thumb. A Range of Impact Injuries Impact-related injuries can be anything from a bruise to the knuckles, to pinching of fingers between two pieces of equipment, to severe bone fracture, and anything in between. According to an article in the June 2018 issue of Occupational Health & Safety, the oil and gas sector collected data from the International Association of Drilling Contractors. The data showed that fingers accounted for one-third of all injuries and almost 20 percent of lost-time injuries.  Areas of Potential Injury Fingertips: Commonly injured because they typically come in contact with every part of the work Knuckles: Frequently impacted by things such as wrenches slipping or catching hands under the hood of a car The Benefit for Industries The bones and tissues in the back of the hand are all vulnerable to impact injuries. In industries such as construction, mining, manufacturing, offshore oil and gas, warehousing and transport industries, care should be taken to protect the hands during work.  With a new standard to help classify levels of impact protection, industries have the opportunity to select hand protection best suited for the work needs and to reduce dorsal injuries. Featured Products  

7 Late-Summer Outdoor Safety Tips

Summer might be coming to a close, but there’s still plenty of time for swimming, barbecuing and dining outdoors. The following tips will help you enjoy the last few weeks of the season in the safest way possible. Watch What You Touch Try to avoid dangerous plants like poison oak, ivy and sumac. If someone touches one of these plants, rinse the area as soon as possible with soap and running water for at least five minutes. Beware of Bugs Insect stings can cause serious problems (even death) for those with allergies. Go to the hospital immediately if you are stung and develop hives, dizziness, swelling around the eyes or mouth, or have trouble breathing. Check Labels Check the label when buying insect repellent. Select only those that are safe for the age of the user. Keep Dangerous Liquids Away From Children Lighter fluid, lamp oils and gasoline can be deadly if swallowed. Watch children and pets closely at all times when these are being used. Keep Certain Essentials Outdoors Only use camp stoves, grills and generators outside. Never use them in buildings or tents. Store Pool Chemicals Properly Inhaling chlorine products can irritate the respiratory system. If you have a pool, be sure all chemicals are stored in a safe and secure place. Avoid Leaving Food Exposed When having a picnic, store and reheat food at the proper temperatures. Do not leave food out at room temperature (or warmer) for more than two hours. Leaving food out may cause food poisoning. Signs of food poisoning include fever, headache, diarrhea, stomach pains, nausea and vomiting. Even with the best care, accidents can still happen. If you suspect a poisoning, call the 24-Hour Poison Helpline at 1-800-222-1222. If the situation is serious or life-threatening, dial 911 or head to your local emergency room immediately.

4 Barriers to an Effective Safety Culture – and How to Overcome Them

It goes without saying that safety should be your first priority. A strong safety culture protects your employees, equipment, and organization as a whole. So what happens if you encounter resistance when developing or changing your process? Here are four common safety culture barriers, as well as solutions to get your team’s buy-in and active participation. Barrier #1: Roles and Responsibilities Confusion or uncertainty over roles and responsibilities can lead to backlash when implementing a safety system, so it’s important to establish and uphold clear positions from the beginning. Common situations that can lead to this might include not involving key stakeholders or unions, a lack of demonstrated commitment from leadership, or not providing a channel for employee feedback. Create a safety team involving employees from all levels of management and designate specific employees for various roles. Make it easy for employees to contact and provide feedback to this team, and liaison with outside stakeholders as needed. Ask your leadership to help actively champion safety efforts and campaigns. Barrier #2: Infrastructure Building the right environment for a safety management system doesn’t happen overnight, so it’s normal to experience bumps or setbacks as it’s adopted across an organization. Make sure that your system and structure are designed to support your teams, and don’t be afraid to grow or scale back as needed. Also provide a clear transition plan and communicate updates and progress frequently. Allow plenty of time for change and recognize all positive developments (even small improvements). Barrier #3: Training Whether it’s making changes to an existing system or rolling out a new one, properly trained employees can become the best advocates for your new safety culture. Be prepared to invest time and money in training and retaining your team members, and allow them to use their expert knowledge to lead the success of a new safety management system. Also remember to account for the time it takes to train team members, change old habits, answer questions, and make adjustments. Address any fears or frustrations as your employees are learning, and make sure their responsibilities are evenly distributed. Barrier #4: Attitude The attitude of an organization, from all employees, affects the success of a safety program. A lack of trust, or leaders who focus on the past, can frame any change as a negative, so it’s important to work together. Ask leadership to be vocal supporters of your safety program. Address any obstacles or misconceptions quickly. Also encourage employee feedback and conversation in a positive manner and highlight supporters at all levels. Now that you're on track... Implementing an organizational safety process doesn’t have to be a drag. Remaining transparent and positive, communicating frequently, and encouraging leadership to be strong advocates and supporters will go far in bringing the rest of your team on board.