Product Review from Safety 2012—Gloves!

Basically every task performed by a worker requires the use of the hands.  Often times a certain level of hand protection is needed.  For tasks that involve exposure to cuts or puncture wounds, finding a glove that protects the hand but yet allows for good dexterity can be difficult.  Gloves that fit poorly can result in earlier hand fatigue and reduced moderate to fine motor movements.  There were many glove exhibitors at Safety 2012 but one caught my attention—TurtleSkin.

The demonstration of the gloves for puncture resistance was quite impression.  The exhibitor wearing the gloves asked whoever stopped by to take a syringe with a needle and “jam” it into the palm of his gloved hand.  The needle did not go through—in fact it bent because the glove stopped it.  Suffice it to say that I was impressed by that fact but the question that remained for me was “how good does it fit?”

I have pretty small hands (my fingers are shorter than “average”) so finding gloves that fit are always a challenge.  I was able to try on two different types of gloves in size small.  The length of the fingers was a bit long for me as I expected, however, the feel and what I call “flexibility” of the gloves were very good.

Wearing gloves that are cut and puncture resistant are very important to workers who deal with sharps or the potential for sharps on a regular, such as police officers, housekeepers, hospitals workers, etc.  These gloves would also be beneficial for those who deal with animals to protect them from bites and plants with thorns, such as animal control officers, landscape/tree service workers, etc.  From an ergonomic fit and function perspective, the gloves made by TurtleSkin appear to be a solution for those workers and industries to consider.

Kelby Ergo Design does not endorse any of the products or companies featured in the review. All images are property of the vendor and used for illustrative reference only