Personal protective equipment (PPE) became notorious in the pandemic, but people working in many sectors still need special kit to make sure they are not hurt or injured in the course of their work, and mechanics need it more than most. Working in an industrial environment with heavy equipment, along with a host of abrasive, corrosive and damaging substances means you need to make sure you have the right kit to make sure you are able to work without problems. One of the most commonly used items in garages, yet also often the most overlooked, are gloves. Effective and reliable The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) made the following comment: “The most effective and reliable way to prevent skin problems is to design and operate processes to avoid contact with harmful substances. So, take all the steps you can to achieve this before resorting to the use of protective gloves. Gloves differ in design, material and thickness. No glove material will protect against all substances and no gloves will protect against a specific substance forever. “Protective gloves tend to be less effective than other control measures but if avoiding contact is impractical or is not enough to protect employees then gloves may be needed. When you select protective gloves, base your choice on the work, the wearer and the environment they work in.” Unigloves has launched a new glove, the Nitrex 241WP, which the company says is well suited to general use in the automotive sector. Chris Wahlers, UK MD of Unigloves observed: “The 241WP is a beautifully balanced general-purpose hand protection solution for automotive environments that do not require high levels of specialist hand protection. Comfort is king with the 241WP which means users can wear the glove for long periods of time without discomfort or restriction. Designed with high levels of user comfort in mind the breathable PU coating allows the hands to breathe, whilst the addition of the Sanitized Actifresh hygiene and odour control function, integrated within the glove neutralises odours and reduces microbial growth. Chris added: “In line with Unigloves’ drive towards ever increasing environmentally minded practices, the 241WP comes with plastic-free packaging.” Responsible Unigloves also recently launched a new hand protection website, designed to offer information, resources, guides 48 AFTERMARKET APRIL 2024 PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT www.aftermarketonline.net NOTORIOUS BUT NECESSARY Mechanics that are not wearing the right gear or using the right protective equipment could be injured in the course of their work and technical information from across their hand protection solutions and services. The site includes a free Hand and Arm Protection Survey (HAAPS). This is delivered by Unigloves to find the best glove solutions for an organisation and its operations, and it can be booked directly from the site. It also takes in a Resources section, containing downloadable glove guides. Chris observed: “Our site reflects the growth of our range of specialist hand protection solutions, the expansion of the team and the need to provide our customers with access to greater technical and background information to support their workplace hand protection programmes.” Visitors can also search for specific glove ranges including Nitrex and PRO.TECT. Chris added: “The new site also forms a key part of our drive to and ambition to be the leading and most responsible hand protection manufacturer in the world – as exemplified by the recent launch of our Nitrex RPET – recycled plastic range.” To view the new site, go to: https://uk.unigloves.com
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