Chemicals and the potential for worker exposure to them are abundant in the workplace. According to OSHA, U.S. workers use tens of thousands of chemicals every day. The frequent use of chemicals comes with an increased risk of physical and health hazards for workers. To ensure chemical protection, workers must be outfitted with proper personal protective equipment.

Paul Bryce, the Vice President and General Manager of the Chemical Solutions Strategic Business Unit at Ansell sat down with Safety+Health magazine to talk about the importance of proper chemical protection – in particular, the criticalness of establishing a secure, tight connection between chemical gloves and suits. No matter how effective the suit and glove may be independently, thorough protection will depend on the seal you manage to achieve between the two pieces of PPE. If a secure seal isn’t established, chemicals can easily work between the layers and penetrate the skin.

Worker needs and problems often breed innovation, and a new type of PPE recently has entered the market: glove connectors – PPE specifically designed to create a reliable liquid-tight seal between chemical gloves and coveralls.