Can hand protection cause a respiratory hazard? That’s the question scientists from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) set out to answer when they conducted a Health Hazard Evaluation at a steel mill in Pennsylvania. The process yielded results that went beyond the efficacy of personal protective equipment to uncover an adverse safety culture that had a chilling effect on employees’ willingness to report real or perceived safety problems.
The evaluation was done in response to a request from employee and union representatives at the plant who were concerned about the potential for respiratory illness from fiberglass fibers being shed from cut-resistant sleeves. They also cited skin irritation, safety and hygiene problems from the required use of these sleeves.