Articles

PROVIDING WORKERS WITH THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF CUT PROTECTION
By Keitha Kessler, Ansell Marketing Manager – Ergo Products

Cut injuries to the hand and finger area continue to be among the highest incidents for lost work time and indemnity costs among manufacturers. Effectively protecting worker hands from cut injuries involves many factors. When selecting cut-resistant hand protection products, the primary consideration should be the level of cut protection required for the application.

Although any glove material will provide some level of cut resistance, finding the right glove often requires considering factors such as grip, abrasion and puncture resistance, sizing & overall fit. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) performance levels also provide guidance and are derived directly from Cut Protection Performance Test (CPPT) results. CPPT provides data to differentiate the cut resistance of common materials by measuring the weight needed to make a standard blade slice through a protective material in a one-inch stroke.

Below are examples of the types of products that fall within the five ANSI performance levels.

Level 1 >200 grams (most disposable and unsupported rubber, lightweight cotton, PVC-coated and nitrile-coated cotton, heavier cotton and polyester/cotton gloves)

Level 2 > 500 grams (neoprene-coated and natural rubber-coated cotton, lightweight Kevlar® gloves)

Level 3 > 1,000 grams (heavier Kevlar, nitrile-coated Kevlar and extra-lightweight Kevlar gloves)

Level 4 > 1,500 grams (medium weight Dyneema®, steel-reinforced Dyneema and steel reinforced Kevlar)

Level 5 > 3,500 grams (steel-reinforced Dyneema)

No matter what the level of cut resistance, most glove manufacturers do not recommend using cut-resistant gloves for protection against powered devices such as saws and drills. Gloves are usually tested for use with non-powered blades and tools only.

During the glove selection process, manufacturers should identify any other elements that are required for employees to perform their tasks safely. Do workers, for example, need protection from sharp objects on the back of their hand as well as in the palm area? Workers who are reaching into objects, for example, face the risk of cutting their hands on sharp edges as they insert and remove their hands.

Are abrasions and punctures a problem? Many gloves are designed to protect from a slash caused by sharp objects but few provide high levels of puncture resistance from objects such as the ragged edges of a sharp piece of metal.

Do workers need gloves that enhance their grip on objects? When workers cannot grasp objects securely—especially those that are wet or oily —the objects may slide through their hands and result in cut injuries.

Is dexterity important? In today's fast-paced manufacturing environment, many employees are working at tremendous speeds and must have the dexterity and tactile sensitivity to quickly handle small, sharp objects.

Are the gloves properly sized for individual workers? Gloves that are too large will slide around on the hands and not provide protection where it needed (they may also slide off). Gloves that are too snug will decrease a worker's dexterity and may become so uncomfortable that workers will remove them. Keep in mind that women, immigrants and older workers have different requirements relative to glove sizes and shapes.

Cut-Resistant Fabrics and Fibers

Several alternatives exist for increasing cut resistance in hand protection products, such as increasing the weight (ounces per square yard) of the material used to manufacture the product. While lighter weight styles are often more flexible, heavier gloves usually provide more protection against cuts and abrasions.

Gloves manufactured with high-performance fabrics such as Kevlar and Dyneema® and composite yarns made with combinations of fiberglass, stainless steel, synthetic and high-performance yarns also increase a glove's cut protection. Below are several types of glove materials and fibers and applications where they may be used.

Kevlar and Twaron® are lightweight, high-strength polymers offering a high level of heat resistance. These flexible materials are often used for automotive assembly, sheet metal and glass handling applications where heat is involved.

Dyneema®, a synthetic fiber, is 15 times stronger than steel and three times stronger than Kevlar. Gloves made with this fiber are often lightweight, flexible and cool to the hands, and may be used for plastics injection molding, glass handling, sheet metal assembly and handling small, sharp parts.

Interlocked stainless steel mesh is very strong and provides superior protection against cuts and punctures. Gloves made with this material are often used for meat and poultry processing.

Fiber-Metal Blends, such as fiberglass or wire combined with engineered yarns, significantly boost cut resistance for applications such as metal handling.

Steel Core gloves resist cuts and abrasions and are recommended for meat and poultry processing, glass handling, metal fabrication, automotive and applications within the paper industry.

SuperFabric® combines multiple layers of specialty materials with varying thicknesses. Typical applications include metal forming and stamping.

Coatings

Coatings applied to the outside surface of gloves—including the back of the hand—can also enhance cut protection. Gloves may be coated with polyurethane, rubber, nitrile, nitrile foam or vinyl to enhance their grip, abrasion, puncture resistance and oil repellency properties. The coatings listed below offer additional levels of protection when combined with a cut resistant liner.

• Natural Rubber has a high level of cut resistance and rough grip.
• Nitrile provides a unique combination of snag, puncture, and abrasion resistance along with a good tacky drip grip, which is also oil repellent.
• Nitrile foam offers the same unique combination of snag, puncture, and abrasion resistance along with comfort and a good light oil grip.
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC/Vinyl has excellent abrasion resistance properties and a good dry grip.
• Polyurethane offers excellent resistance to snags and abrasion while providing a good dry & oily grip.

Summary

A variety of cut-resistant gloves are available that incorporate different materials and performance characteristics. To determine the best glove for the application, it is important to determine the hazards involved, the work environment, objects handled and tasks performed. Glove should be evaluated for fit and should be monitored during use to assure they continue to provide the levels of cut protection required.

Dyneema® is a registered trademark owned by DSM Dyneema

Kevlar® is a registered trademark owned by E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company.

About Ansell Limited

Celebrating more than 100 years, Ansell has long been recognized for the innovations and leadership it has provided the hand protection and safety apparel industry.  Besides high quality products, the company offers a comprehensive business solutions approach to help manufacturers achieve their cost reduction mandates.  Ansell personal protective clothing (PPC) specialists work directly with corporate and plant representatives to develop highly effective programs with quantifiable results.

With its regional headquarters for its operations in the Americas located in Red Bank, New Jersey and with operations in Canada, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Ansell serves a wide range of industries, including chemical manufacturing and refining, automotive, construction, food processing, general industrial, pharmaceutical, paper, white goods, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, and primary metals.

For more information, contact:
Lara Kretler
Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations for Ansell
614.825.1762
lara.kretler@fahlgren.com