Protecting employees' hands with the right hand protection is the employer's duty. Accepting these gloves and using them consistently is the task of the wearer. Only if the right gloves are chosen for the respective workplace, the wearer is protected accordingly. Sometimes a detailed consultation and workplace analysis by a professional is necessary so that the right hand protection is used at work.
When working with sharp objects, hand protection is required
In 2016, the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) received reports of around 270,000 reportable accidents with hand injuries, which is almost 35 percent of the total number of accidents at work in Germany. Wearing the right protective glove is therefore a far-reaching guarantee of the integrity of the user's health. This is particularly noticeable when using cut-resistant gloves.
In which areas should a cut protection glove be used?
Cut protection gloves are used in many different areas and industries. This special hand protection is used, for example, in the food industry, in metalworking, but also in the waste and recycling industry. Wherever sharp and pointed objects are used, a risk assessment must be carried out to determine which cut protection is required at the workplace.
Hand protection according to EN 388: Cut protection gloves
The EN 388 standard has been amended or expanded within the framework of EU Regulation 2016/425.
Hand protection with the category 2 marking, the cut resistance test is indicated by the 2nd digit under the hammer symbol for mechanical risks. According to the previously valid standard, the protection level is indicated by numbers from 0 to 5. Here, the cutting resistance increases by one factor (measured according to the so-called coupe test with a round knife) by twice as much in relation to the previous value. A glove with cut protection level 3 can be completely sufficient for many mechanical tasks. If there is an increased risk of cut, a glove of a higher cut protection level (up to 5 according to the old standard) is of course used.
The new PPE regulation also affects hand protection
The new revised standard EN 388:2016 measures cut protection with a knife according to a different principle, namely EN 13997. The cut resistance is not marked with an abstract factor, but with a measured value expressed in Newton(N). The protection level is no longer indicated by numbers under the hammer symbol, but by letters, from A to F. Here, the letter F indicates the highest cut protection level and the letter A the lowest cut resistance.
Acceptance of hand protection
We have noticed that many people are now immediately looking for a protective glove with the mark Cut Protection Level F when working. You want to have the "maximum protection" when it comes to hand protection. But does this make sense? This is where another factor comes into play, you could call it "acceptance by the wearer of the protective glove". Cut protection gloves with higher cut protection levels are thicker, contain more inflexible materials such as glass and steel fibers and therefore work suboptimally in application. As a result, the wearer may be more tempted to take off the cut protection glove. Logically, this entails serious consequences and hand injuries. The hand guard can also prevent the worker from carrying out his work easily due to the lack of dexterity. This can then lead to fatigue of the hand much faster.
"Nothing can happen to me anyway"
It is possible that a (too) high cut protection level can also tempt the wearer to be careless, lulling him into a false feeling of unlimited security. It is forgotten that hand protection is only the last barrier to his personal protection.
Hand protection without overprotection
There is therefore only one right solution to the dilemma: find the right glove with the right dexterity, the right sensitivity and the optimal protective effect! Wearing comfort is becoming more and more important, in addition to the protective effect. "Overprotection" is not the right solution for hand protection. Counseling can help. In the end, the right protection depends on the nature of the workplace and must ultimately be determined there.