Impact Protection Rating Standards Figuring out hand protection just got easier Work site injury statistics prove just how costly injuries are for both companies and employees. We know that after the back, the hands, wrists, and fingers are the most injured part of the body on a work site. This is where gloves come in. Thirty per cent of hand injuries occur because workers wear the wrong gloves for the task they are doing and 70 per cent of hand injuries occur because workers wear
inadequate or worn out gloves. Modern materials and technology are
puncture resistance, chemical risk and, new last year, impact resistance.
changing the glove world faster than ever.
Ansi/ISEA 138 Impact standards were
We now have standards that need to
ratified April 2019, and this is great news
be adhered to with independent testing
for the end-user. This standard was
bodies. The gloves that are tested are
created as a collaboration between ANSI
marked with the ratings so the consumer
(American National Standards Institute)
can be sure they are properly protected.
and the ISEA (International Safety
There is testing for cut resistance,
Equipment Association), hand surgeons,
abrasion resistance, tear resistance,
glove manufacturers and raw material suppliers. Watson Gloves was invited to participate as part of the working group to review, comment and vote on the drafts of the standards during the ratification process. It’s a voluntary standard for the North American market, designed to accurately classify different levels of impact protection offered by the impact-resistant gloves on the market. This is important because there was no way to rate impact protection before. Anyone could slap a thin piece of rubber on the back of the hand and call it “impact-resistant.” Now there’s a rating system to help consumers decide which gloves will provide proper impact resistance, as it has passed North American testing standards. Many hand injuries can be completely avoided with the proper hand protection, which is why it’s so important to choose the right glove for each task. Glove design is of utmost importance. By placing impact pads, resistant support, and hard plastic armor in the vulnerable spots of the hand, Watson Gloves can provide the perfect balance between protection and performance. As Watsons was part of the working group for ANSI/ISEA 138, they’re ahead of the curve and have a wide selection of Impact-resistant gloves that have been tested.
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Manitoba Mining Review 2020-2021
