Technical Information

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RESPECT YOUR HANDS

March 21, 2005 - Chemical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical are types of hand hazards a collision repair technician may encounter on a regular basis. This article will discuss the types of gloves that are available and the options that technicians have for protecting their hands during various collision repair tasks.

Types of Hazards

Examples of chemical hazards include engine oils, paint solvents, battery acid, and adhesives. Mechanical hazards include objects that can abrade, cut, tear, puncture, or crush. Another example of a mechanical hazard is vibration. ISO standard 10819 covers specifications for anti-vibration gloves. Permanent damage to the blood circulatory system, sensory nerves, muscles, bones, and joints caused by vibration is typically referred to as hand-arm vibration syndrome. Wearing the proper gloves, limiting exposure time, and keeping hands warm can help protect against injuries to hands caused by vibration.

Thermal hazards include contact with hot objects, including convective and radiant heat, and contact with cold objects. The vehicle electrical system and repair equipment present many examples of electrical hazards.

Hand protection is also important to reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction to a chemical. Once a person has an allergy to a substance, it often never goes away. That substance will always cause a reaction and it may get worse. Allergic reactions don’t only come from substances a technician works with, but it may come from the hand protection itself. On April 12, 1999 OSHA released a technical information bulletin that addresses the Potential for Allergy to Natural Rubber Latex Gloves and Other Natural Rubber Products (www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/latex/latex.html).

Glove Materials

A variety of materials are used to make gloves depending on the protection required (see Figure 1). Latex, nitrile (synthetic rubber), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), Neoprene™ (or polychloroprene), PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), butyl, and Viton™ gloves protect against chemical hazards. Kevlar^®, leather, cotton, and aluminized gloves protect against thermal hazards. Nitrile, latex, or PVC on a fabric liner, and Kevlar^® and leather gloves protect against mechanical hazards. Natural rubber latex gloves protect against electrical hazards.

The Correct Glove

With all of these possibilities, how does a technician know which type of glove is best for a given task? It would be difficult to identify every hazard that a technician comes in contact with. That is why it is important to read the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for a product and follow the proper safety precautions. Listed in the safety precautions in the MSDS will be the recommended type of glove to wear when using that chemical.

Another general source is the University of Edinburgh (www.ed.ac.uk), which has developed a glove selection guide that may be used as a reference. This guide addresses several different types of gloves and indicates if the glove is well suited, suitable for limited application, or definitely not recommended for particular substances or tasks. A section of the guide shows where a type of glove will likely fail, if used for that purpose.

Do not expect gloves to be a one-time purchase. Tests done by glove makers have shown that eventually every glove will fail. Degradation is a visible failure where the glove loses some of its original characteristics. Some indications of failure include the gloves becoming softer, weaker, more brittle, out-of-shape, or swollen. Degradation is not the only type of failure. Chemicals can permeate through the glove without physical evidence of damage or wear to the outside of the glove. The permeation rate of a material varies depending on the thickness of the glove material and the amount and type of exposure to a chemical hazard. The isocyanates used in some refinish materials are one example of a chemical that will permeate through latex gloves without showing signs of physical damage to the glove.

Glove Characteristics

There's a lot more than just the appropriate material when selecting gloves. Comfort, grip, dexterity, and length are also important characteristics of a glove that affect more than just how well they work when they are put on, but the probability that they will be worn in the first place. A glove that is too tight may result in fatigue and discomfort. If the glove is too large it will reduce dexterity. Some gloves are slippery and make it difficult to hold smooth objects. The lack of dexterity may cause a technician to struggle or even worse, remove the gloves to perform an operation where the hazard exists and puts the hands at risk.

Personal Hygiene

Marigold Industrial^®, a glove manufacturer in the United Kingdom, has written several documents that address gloves in the workplace (www.marigoldindustrial.com). The safety and awareness that is addressed in these documents can be applied worldwide. For example, some simple glove wearing practices are addressed like not sharing gloves, washing hands before and after wearing gloves, and covering cuts and abrasions before putting on gloves. The inside of a glove can promote bacteria growth and harbor germs. Cuts and abrasions allow bacteria, chemicals, and germs to enter directly into the bloodstream. There is also a proper and an improper way to remove a disposable glove. Select the Video to see the proper method of removing disposable gloves.

Conclusion

There is a type of glove for every hazard found in a collision repair facility. The product maker has identified the type of glove that should be worn when using their product in the MSDS. Some gloves are designed to be disposable single-use, while others are reusable. Many factors have to be taken into account when selecting the proper glove including protection and personal preference. There is no perfect glove that can be used for everything.