Help is at hand
April 1st 2008

How can a chemical permeation chart help protect workers against the threat that chemicals pose? HSM talks to Marigold Industrial to find out more about its free resource and learn what steps can be taken to ensure that chemical risks in the workplace are minimised

Chemicals are literally the driving force of British Industry.

Every year, millions of tonnes of industrial chemicals help to keep British businesses across almost every industry sector running smoothly. Without them, production, manufacturing and maintenance across the UK would soon grind to a halt, other industries such as hairdressing, food production and the automotive sector would be significantly affected too.

While they are essential for business, chemicals also present significant worker hazards and are one of the biggest health and safety challenges. With up to 10,000 commercial chemicals classified as being hazardous, health and safety managers are often hard pressed to ensure they are providing staff who work with chemicals with the right level of protection.

"Unless it is protected properly, skin that is exposed to chemicals can become irritated, burned or ulcerated.

Whether they are strong chemicals, such as cutting fluids or subtler ones, such as cleaning detergents diluted in water, chemicals can break down the skin's natural defence.

"Sometimes that damage occurs quickly where people are working with stronger chemicals. More often, and this is where most skin injuries take place, damage occurs over a longer period of time as people perceive that the substance they are working with poses little or no chemical threat, is not particularly 'hazardous' or not obviously dangerous," said John Thorne, UK Country Manager for Marigold Industrial.

"You wouldn't ever consider dipping your hand into a vat of chemicals, yet millions of people every day, work with water, cleaning fluids, oils, greases and fats as part of their working day – all of which are chemicals that strip the skin of its natural protective oils, " adds John.

Examples of common chemical hazards include: Engineering – metalworking fluids, neat oils Automotive manufacture and aftercare – new and used engine oils, paint solvents, degreasers, battery acid and adhesives Construction – cement, epoxy resins Food – synthetic flavourings, cleaning agents Printing – processing chemicals, inks, plate leaning Agriculture – pesticides, silage additives, degreasers Janitorial – bleaches, floor cleaning chemicals Hairdressing – bleaches, dyes, detergents "The ideal scenario would be to remove any contact between worker and chemical, but as that is impossible, the challenge is to ensure that where skin exposure to chemicals is concerned, the right type of protection is provided. To achieve this there are a number of key issues that need to be addressed," says John.

The first step for those with responsibility for health and safety is to understand the chemicals that staff are working with and how they are working with them.

Chemical safety data sheets are an essential tool in identifying chemical make up and hazard levels to the unprotected worker. As well as a vital source of information, they must be held by the employer under COSHH.

Once the make up of a chemical has been understood, safety managers must consider the work being undertaken by staff and the type of contact they have with it and then determine which glove material will provide the right levels of protection.

The three steps to selecting the right glove for the job are: Understand the chemical Understand how staff work with the chemical and for how long Identify the glove material and glove design that will provide the right level of protection What is chemical permeation? "Permeation is the process by which a chemical can pass through a protective barrier – ie a glove – without going through visible openings. Molecules of a specific chemical enter the glove material and effectively wriggle through the compound – with the glove material often appearing unchanged to the human eye despite the fact its protection has been compromised.

"The objective therefore is to provide a glove that is robust enough to provide a barrier that stands firm against the threat of permeation – even when people are working with that chemical for several hours," said John.

But it's not all about performance and protection. You could have a glove that provides extremely high protection against chemical XYZ. But if the glove is extremely uncomfortable and does not allow the wearer to do their job properly, they will be disinclined to wear it at all.

So as part of the risk assessment and glove decision process, employers should also consider issues such as: Grip Comfort Glove length Ease of putting on and taking off Conclusion Chemicals are one of the main UK workplace hazards, yet one of the most widely used substances. Only by investing time and using all the information available can the right hand protection solution be selected.

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