Using Hand Protection Equipment

Are the different kinds of gloves being used correctly in your workplace? Remember to continue to educate and remind employees that hand protection has different uses and all types are cared for differently.

With the diversity of industrial glove applications, OSHA publishes guidelines regarding single or repeated use. Disposable (single-use) gloves,for example  surgical or examination gloves, should be replaced as soon as they become contaminated. They should be washed or decontaminated for reuse.

Utility gloves may be decontaminated for reuse if the integrity of the glove is not compromised. If gloves are cracked, torn, punctured or exhibit other signs of deterioration, or when their ability to function as a barrier is in question, they must be discarded.

This is just one example of what to do with this particular type of glove. There are many other forms of materials and hand protection that meet different uses. To learn more, visit www.OSHA.gov.