How do you choose chemical hand protection for employees at your dealership? Working with chemicals can be risky, as an accidental exposure from submersion or splash for certain types of chemicals can result in burns. Fortunately, there are a variety of safety gloves that offer adequate protection.
First and foremost, choose the right glove for the situation it will be used in:
- Butyl: Resistance to gases, water vapors, highly corrosive acids, ketones, and esters.
- Natural Rubber Latex: Resistance to animal fats, caustics, acids, salts, alcohols, and detergents.
- Neoprene: Resistance against solvents, oils, acids, caustics, and greases.
- Nitrile: Resistance against a wide range of chemicals including oils, especially petrochemicals and fuels.
- PVC: Resistance against some chemicals, especially petrochemicals, oils, and grease.
- Viton: Highest resistance to aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzene, toluene, and xylene.
To determine which protection your workers need, consider the following:
- What chemical are workers exposed to?
- What is the exposure level?
- What are the physical risks associated with the chemical?
Remember to inspect your gloves often for any penetration, degradation, or contamination.