According to Ansell, one of the most dangerous assumptions people make is that leather gloves will protect hands when handling sharp-edged objects.“This assumption is that the thickness of the leather provides a barrier to cut injuries,” Ansell occupational healthcare’s Jerome Feuvrier said.“Leather is just another layer of animal skin which has been used traditionally because there were no other materials that provided better protection – a case of some protection is better than none.”Feuvrier said hand protection has evolved substantially since the early 20th century when there were few choices for safety gloves other than those made of cotton or leather, offering minimal cut protection, unreliable quality and poor fit.“A focus on workplace safety has fuelled the development of new glove technologies, such as nitrile-laminate fabrics which offer superior fit, comfort and protection when compared with leather,” he said.Feuvrier said the Ansell HyFlex 11-500 glove features engineered fibres with reduced weight, increased flexibility and better resistance to abrasive elements and surfaces.“The glove is the versatile choice for optimal productivity and safety, and provides excellent dexterity and breathability for applications such as automotive and transport, metal fabrication, maintenance, electrical products, assembly of white goods, plastics injection and moulding, and assembling and inspecting engine parts and small components,” he said.
