Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital in minimizing workers’ exposure to hazards. But wearing PPE with the right fit is equally vital when it comes to controlled and critical environments. Whether it’s PPE gloves such as clean and clean sterile gloves or protective clothing, having the right fit makes a difference between the worker being safely covered or dangerously exposed and the integrity of the products being manufactured compromised.
Laboratory workers and research facility workers operating in controlled environments are constantly exposed to numerous hazards whilst exploring ideas for vital new drugs, vaccines, medical devices and other solutions. Hence, protecting them throughout their working day becomes a crucial task for employers.
Providing workers in controlled environments with quality PPE gloves and protective clothing is not enough, it is just as important that they’re provided with correctly fitting and comfortable PPE. In many countries, work regulations demand that personal protective equipment (PPE) provided should be suitable for the work being carried out and that it fits the wearer correctly. Ill-fitting PPE can pose risks of injury to workers, endanger those working around them and compromise the vital products being manufactured.
ILL-FITTING CLEANROOM GLOVES ENDANGER THE WEARER
The best hand protection for the job is always a good pair of gloves and a pair that fits workers’ hands well. When workers are present in critical and controlled environments, they are exposed to multiple hazards especially chemical hazards. Others include biological hazards, allergy hazards, static hazards and ergonomic hazards.
With many hazards workers face, wearing PPE gloves that fit make a difference for optimal protection and mitigating exposure risks. Gloves which are too loose could cause workers to have improper grip when handling instruments and apparatus. Whilst wearing gloves which are too small could cause them to have sweaty hands, causing irritation, experience restricted hand movements which will affect hand dexterity. Ultimately, productivity could be reduced.
PPE GLOVES WITH THE RIGHT FIT REDUCE HAND INJURY
There are 27 bones in each hand. Everyone’s hand is made of a complex system of tendons, bone tissues and nerves. That’s why cleanroom gloves must fit well in order for workers to have better dexterity in performing complex tasks. When it comes to handling materials in a controlled environment, workers must have the confidence, dexterity and tactile sensitivity when handling hazards to ensure there is no risk of contamination to them or the product For that, a pair of gloves with the right fit matters, every time.
PPE gloves that fit poorly increases the amount of force required by a worker’s hand muscles. Overtime, this causes muscle fatigue and workers risk developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Whether the gloves they wear are loose or tight, both are detrimental to hand movements in the long run.
Tight gloves cause pressure on hands, restrict hand movement and increase hand perspiration – leading to muscle fatigue and sometimes skin-related discomfort. Loose gloves reduce grip strength, affect hand dexterity and ultimately hinder productivity. Other than being uncomfortable, loose gloves could create risks for hazards within the controlled environment. Losing control over instrument grip in a laboratory, ineffective protection of products from contamination or poor handling in assembly of medical devices; these are just a few of the risk factors that ill-fitting gloves pose in a controlled environment.
GLOVE SIZE FINDER – FIND THE RIGHT GLOVE FIT INSTANTLY
To increase safety and productivity, Ansell has developed a glove size finder tool so workers can expect to find the right glove size anytime, anywhere. Anyone can access this tool to get the right size before purchasing any of Ansell’s clean and clean sterile PPE gloves.
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Here’s how our glove size finder application works:
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*We recommend trying the suggested size for the best fit. Based on the shape of your hand and the quality of the scan, your actual glove size may vary. Please follow the instructions closely.
Want to measure now? Scan the QR code or click on the link to get the right glove size for life sciences PPE gloves:
THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING & GOGGLES
Other than protecting your hands from hazards in controlled environments, it is also crucial that protective clothing is worn to protect workers and products from risk of contamination, especially when it comes to particulate hazards. Choosing the right protective clothing means finding the right fit, wearer comfort and ease of use.
Ill-fitting protective clothing increases the risk of contamination. When wearing a smaller protective suit, freedom of movement is hindered and the garment becomes uncomfortable to wear. Tears might happen and this will undoubtedly expose workers and products to a variety of serious risks and hazards. With a larger suit, it may get caught in machinery causing workers to be exposed to even more danger, or cause gapping between clothing items i.e. between the coverall and hood, causing a risk of contamination escaping into the controlled environment.
It is important to measure a worker’s actual body measurements and refer to a sizing chart before purchasing the relevant protective clothing. Never forget to consider the wearer’s comfort. After all, they are wearing the suit for most of the time in their working hours. Always find out about the material of the protective suit and also the ease of putting on the suit. Keeping workers comfortable is also another way of taking care of their work productivity.
When it comes to protecting your eyes in a controlled environment, wearing quality and good-fitting goggles are a must. Always ensure that the goggles you choose fit comfortably. If it pinches your nose or puts pressure on your head, high chances that you’re wearing the goggles too tight. The goggles should not distort your vision or else you’ll experience dizziness or headaches and this can prove to be dangerous when handling hazardous chemicals.
See what Ansell’s protective clothing and goggles looks like and explore the specifications of each in greater detail with our 360° product viewer. Understand each feature and benefit of the protective clothing and goggles better as you view both respectively from different angles.
PPEs ARE A WORKER’S FINAL LINE OF DEFENSE
Educating workers on the benefits of wearing PPEs with the right fit can mean a whole lot of difference to work safety and productivity in controlled environments. This means ensuring that every worker regardless of size needs to always wear the right size of PPE. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all PPE.
Are your workers wearing the correctly fitting PPE gloves and protective clothing?