The Invisible Threat Lurking Under Gloves
Gloves should always fit the hands of the workers they belong to for best results. Skin care programs work the same way.
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- By Matt Cloward
- Feb 01, 2018
Many professions require personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, to be worn in order to prevent workers from coming in contact with hazardous chemicals, extreme temperatures, and harmful germs. However, workers often remove protective gloves at the end of the day only to find their skin wasn’t protected from one of the biggest workplace threats: occupational skin disorders (OSDs).
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OSDs affect more than 13 million workers in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 Including contact dermatitis or work-related eczema (WRE), OSDs are an invisible threat to health, safety, and efficiency in the workplace. From dry, red, and irritated skin to deep cuts vulnerable to infection, workers with unhealthy hands can harm a business in numerous ways.
Gloves are not the only method to protect hardworking hands. Effective yet gentle hand cleansers and creams can protect the skin and help reduce the negative effects of wearing gloves. In order to keep employee hands healthy and happy, it’s important for employers to understand how to best protect workers’ skin and promote a positive hand hygiene-compliant environment.
Visible Consequences Red, irritated, and dry hands are often considered just “part of the job,” but OSDs can cause severe, visible consequences for a company. One case of OSD can cost an employer approximately $3,500 in workers’ compensation claims, resulting in an average of about 24 days of disability, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Skin diseases also can decrease productivity and employee morale and lead to health and safety violations.
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Gloves may protect employees from harmful substances but if they’re worn for too long, skin turns wrinkly, dry, and soft. Wearing gloves for extended periods also causes moisture to build up and harbor within, increasing the risk of fungal infections. Broken skin can lead to other skin infections like Streptococcus pyogenes and S. aureus, which cause red, painful, swollen skin with ulceration, oozing, or pustules.
Some OSDs are worsened by certain skin care products, making it crucial to check the ingredients of the products you’re providing employees. In fact, many industrial hand cleansers contain petroleum distillates and other hydrocarbon solvents to remove heavy soilings such as tar, oil, grease, and wax. These ingredients can harm skin, causing dryness, irritation, or skin cracking. When the products meant to help cause harm, employees become discouraged to use them, furthering hand hygiene issues.
This article originally appeared in the February 2018 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: HOW
