Cut Resistant Gloves
Cuts and punctures to the hands remain one of the most common and easily preventable injuries in the recycled paperboard industry. Here are a few facts regarding hand injuries.
- Glove Rating Scales
- The US adopted ASTM/ANSI/ISEA and the European (CE) rating.
- Most often the CE rating is higher than the US rating, meaning CE-rated gloves do not provide the same level of protection as a comparably rated ASTM/ANSI/ISEA glove. As a result, vendors often will pitch the advantages of their glove based on the higher CE rating scale.
- The higher the number (1-5) the higher the cut resistance. Also keep in mind that that gloves are cut resistant — not cut proof.
- Recommended Cut Levels
- Some companies recommend an ASTM/ANSI/ISEA level 4 or above glove anytime a sharp (i.e., knife, die blade, slitter blade, or other sharp tool or material).
- There is considerably higher level protection afforded between a cut ASTM/ANSI/ISEA3 and 4 while dexterity is generally not diminished.
- Different Cut Ratings
- Beware that some gloves have different cut level ratings on the palm side and the back side of the glove. Be sure to ask your sales rep. for a specification sheet on the gloves you consider purchasing.
Wearing the right type of glove is critical.
Review your company’s policies and understand the expectations regarding when, where and what type of gloves are to be used.
Dupont has issued an information sheet about Kevlar which you can see here.
Hexarmor has a good chart explaining the similarities and differences between the US and European standards which you can see here.
LATEST NEWS
2023 Industry Profile Study
The 2023 Industry Profile Study has been published and distributed to members. The study included 209 grade samples off 65 paper machines at 47 RPTA-member mills. Members can access this report, and prior year reports, at this member-only page. Each member company also received custom, confidential Excel workbooks by email with the samples from their paper machines identified.
Narrow Roll Safety Guideline
Narrow rolls, also known as ribbon rolls, represent a heightened risk of injury due to their unstable configuration. A task team of RPTA members developed a guideline that provides options that mills may consider to protect employees who handle narrow rolls, or will be in the vicinity of narrow rolls. The Guideline is available at this web page.
Summer 2023 Webinar
On July 20th we held a webinar on Treatment Technologies for Wastewater Reuse, presented by Everett Gill and Kristen Jenkins of Brown and Caldwell Engineering. The webinar covered technologies that can reduce the concentration of one or more chemicals in process water or mill effluent. Presentation slides and recordings from the webinar are available to RPTA members only at this web page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2023 RPTA Fall Roundtable
NEW PAPER MILL TECHNOLOGY
The annual member-only event will be held October 18 and 19 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This year’s Roundtable will include:
- Seminar by Voith and Valmet
- Group Dinner
- Tour of Graphic Packaging Mill Tour
Use this link to register.
And this link for detailed information on the Roundtable, including travel information.