Prevention is a key factor for any organization seeking continual improvement in its occupational health and safety performance. In the hierarchy of controls, elimination of the hazard comes first, and the last line of defence is proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

There are 110,000 lost-time hand injuries annually. Hand injuries send more than one million workers to the emergency room each year. And 70 percent of workers who experience hand injuries are not wearing gloves.

In recent years, technology advancement has allowed manufacturers to create more sophisticated yarns that improve glove performance significantly. The level of cut protection can be increased by using high-performance materials, and by increasing a material's weight.

Selecting chemical protective gloves is a crucial, yet challenging task for safety managers worldwide. Complex portfolios are made even more complicated by evolving standards and regulations, making compliance increasingly difficult in today’s work environments.

OSHA's standard for first aid training in general industry (29 CFR 1910.151(b)) and construction (29 CFR 1926.50(c)) require that an employer must ensure prompt first aid treatment for injured employees.

When it comes to choosing cut-resistant gloves, the first choice you need to make is which standard you’ll be using. For the most part, this comes down to your geographical location.

ISEA has published a new industry standard on insulating apparel to assist workers in cold temperature working environments.