ATG
Wearing gloves all shift is often just part of the job. But hands don’t always stay dry inside gloves, especially when they are not meant for use in wet or oily conditions.
Wet gloves can leave workers uncomfortable, impacting grip and potentially irritating the skin. They can get in the way of dexterity and productivity. There’s a greater chance workers will just take them off, putting both safety and compliance at risk.
How can employers overcome the challenge of workers removing gloves because their hands are wet, and they can’t do their job properly?
Giving workers gloves designed for the task.
Elliot Minervini, Senior National Account Manager at Mayo Hardware, says this starts with making sure workers have the right gloves for the job. Companies need a glove matrix that matches gloves to the task, providing a quick and easy way to ensure workers get the right balance of protection and performance.
“A lot of workplaces don’t have a glove matrix. Or if they do, it often hasn’t been reviewed in a long time, so it’s not very clear or doesn’t consider the latest technologies,” he says. “They might only have one glove available to all workers. If someone is working in an area that’s wet or there’s a lot of oil, liquid is going to permeate a glove designed for dry environments pretty quickly. If workers are wearing gloves that allow their hands to get wet, they are likely to take them off and put them in the bin, even when the gloves still have plenty of life left in them. But, if they are using gloves that are designed to keep hands dry in wet and oily environments, they won’t need to replace them as often.”
He says comfort is also crucial to compliance, but it’s often overlooked in glove selection.
“If a glove is uncomfortable, not as dextrous or has poor grip, workers think ‘I can do the job better without it’ and that’s when you get the risk of injuries coming into play,” he says. “If it’s not comfortable, or causes dermatological issues, workers won’t wear it.”
Gloves workers won’t want to take off.
Elliot says the ATG® MaxiDry® range is ideal for workers who want all the comfort of the MaxiFlex®, but need a glove that is suitable for wet and oily conditions.
MaxiDry® gloves feature a LIQUItech ® coating that is designed to resist oil and repel liquid. It’s available in palm, three quarter or full-coat options, and there’s also a longer gauntlet. The gloves also feature the ATG® GRIPtech ® micro-cup finish that improves grip and control on oily and wet surfaces. The finish is applied on the palm, to maximise flexibility in the rest of the glove.
Thin and lightweight, the gloves have a seamless knit liner for dexterity and comfort and a locking cuff for a close, secure fit. For assembly tasks that require an even greater level of dexterity, there’s the new MaxiDry® Elite™. These gloves are thin and light, with a material thickness of just 0.70mm.
MaxiDry® Elite™ gloves also feature AD-APT® technology, which is activated by movement and increased temperature inside the glove to help keep hands dry and cool. Ideal when sweaty hands impact grip and dexterity!
“They are super thin like a disposable glove, however, they are reusable, washable and have the performance of the rest of the MaxiDry® range,” Elliot says.
There’s also the insulated MaxiDry® Zero™ for cold environments and the MaxiDry® Plus™ gauntlet that is certified as a Type B product under EN ISO 374-1:2016 + A1:2018.
.png?width=1000&height=350&name=SS%20ATG%20Blog%20Image%20(1).png)
PPE that is designed for comfort and durability.
The MaxiDry® range is pre-washed before packaging and is accredited by the Skin Health Alliance, an organisation that promotes skin health education and helps ensure products are skin safe.
The gloves in the MaxiDry® range are also designed to help get the most out of PPE budgets. The gloves are certified under EN ISO 6330, which means they can be washed following the manufacturer’s instructions for three cycles without loss of performance.
Available at Blackwoods - Your safety equipment partner.
Blackwoods is proud to offer ATG as part of our commitment to keeping Australian workers safe. As the country’s largest provider of industrial and safety equipment, we’ve got everything you need to protect your team. Check out the MaxiDry® range on site and contact your Blackwoods technical safety specialist for an evaluation of glove use on site and assistance in matching gloves to tasks.
