Just as in most other European manufacturing industries, adequate hand protection is self-evident in large metal fabrication, machinery and equipment companies employing more than 50 people. After all, they have strict safety and health policies that require optimal hand protection and they make every effort to engineer out safety hazards. Consequently, large enterprises have long been the unique target market for PPE manufacturers and distributors and Ansell has a strong foothold in the sector. But more than that, we’re also committed to safeguarding the hands of the majority of workers in the industry: those in small metalworking firms, from locksmiths and art foundry up to any other metal working craft man or self-employed tradesman.

High risk, low awareness

It is widely accepted that small business operators facing the day-to-day pressure of running a business, often lack the time, technical knowledge and resources to fully implement health and safety systems. The risk of injuries to the upper extremities in the metal industry, however, is high. During common operations such as stamping, cutting, embossing, metal sheet folding, pipe bending or metal shielding, workers have to handle metal parts with rough or sharp edges, which exposes them to mechanical risks like abrasion, cut or puncture. Frequent contact with heat, flames, small molten metal drops or big molten metal splashes, e.g. in welding applications, add an irreversible dimension to the usual risks. Last but not least, many workers are exposed to oil, lubricants or other solvents while degreasing parts or come into contact with paint. This ‘chemical’ exposure may be the most critical one to tackle. Indeed, as spotlighted in our last issue of In Touch, operators are unaware of the latent health threat as the consequences of exposure to these liquids are seldom immediate.

Worker acceptance

Besides the lack of sensitization to protection, there’s another key factor threatening workers’ health in the metal sectors: the long-standing preconceptions that gloves would be ‘uncomfortable’ and/or a restriction to dexterity and to efficiency as a whole. Ansell is determined to demystify these myths, as our wide selection of gloves targeting the metalworking industry addresses both protection and worker acceptance criteria. To help small metalworking firms and self-employed tradesmen gain a better insight into our solutions, we have bundled our years’ of expertise in their sector and the feedback of industry experts and end-users into educational tools and clear glove-specific definitions, expressly tailored to their specific needs.

Handy selection tool

The result is summarized in a handy selection tool that lists the different applications, exposure risks and glove requirements of the sector and links them to our broad selection of protective gloves. It helps owners of small companies find their way in our comprehensive range of solutions: from lightweight gloves that ensure the ultimate in dexterity and durability or provide exceptional grip on oily and slippery metal sheets thru’ to gloves that seamlessly combine grip with excellent chemical resistance. Without, of course, compromising the level of workers’ acceptance.