Compliance with Corporate Safety Policy

By Kristin Kraai-Keely

Industry: 
Consumer and Office Products

Customer: 
A division of a global company that produces pressure-sensitive technology, self-adhesive base materials and self-adhesive consumer and office products.

Issue: 
The Environmental Health & Safety Manager must implement a new corporate safety policy which requires a change in the cut-resistant PPE being used.  The previous policy called for Kevlar and all locations must now switch to Dyneema.  The Dyneema must offer a cut-resistance rating of at least a three on the CE rating scale.

Challenges: 
The Corporate Safety Policy requires that all employees wear cut-resistant sleeves and gloves.  Several employees at this location are difficult to fit due to extremely large hands and arms.  Five-foot long doctor blades are in use at this facility so cut risk is high, as is the need for dexterity and grip to effectively and safely perform job functions.

Proposed Solution: 
Customer tested MCR Safety’s #9676 Ultra Tech Dyneema PU (Polyurethane) glove which features a 13-gauge Dyneema shell and a CE score of 4343.  They also tested MCR Safety’s #9318D7T Memphis Dyneema Sleeves which feature 18” length, 7 gauge Dyneema material with thumbhole and a CE cut rating of three.

Test Results:
#9676 glove:  Meets the Corporate Policy CE cut rating requirement as well as the need for a high level of dexterity and grip.  Availability of sizes in XS – XXL was crucial in fitting the employees with large hands. 

#9318D7T sleeves:  Meets the Corporate Policy CE cut rating requirement.  The sleeve design accommodates users with a variety of arm sizes including those with large upper arms.  The design also eliminated sleeve slippage issues that had occurred with the Kevlar sleeves.