Save Big Costs; Each $1 Invested in Protective Equipment returns $3 in Benefits
Quality protective equipment is often not the cheapest and may seem to many as an annoying and unnecessary increase in cost. However, the American Society of Civil Engineers study says that the long-term savings and benefits of properly outfitting your employees with the right safety gear and enforcing training and protocols give $3 in benefits for each $1 invested. Just how and why is this possible?
So what makes protective gloves important?
For starters most construction and manufacturing situations are greatly dangerous, some of the “most dangerous land-based” work. (Ikpe et al.) Millions of dollars are spent every year in studying and determining how to reduce work-related accidents and their related costs. The Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) says 42% of non-fatal injuries in 2017 involved the hands. But the cheapest and most efficient way to reduce accidents is just to invest in the right protective equipment. In fact, a 2020 study also by OSHA says 70.9% of hand and arm injuries could have been prevented with personal protective gloves.
What are the exact costs?
Of course, medical bills and liability are obvious costs when an accident is concerned. Up to $26,000 USD each time (https://ohsonline.com/articles/2019/09/06/getting-a-grip-on-hand-impact-injuries.aspx ) according to OSHA in 2020. But there are so many more indirect costs in both time and money to a business when even a small accident happens.
Direct Costs
– Medical bills
– Legal expense
– Compensation
– Damage to property & equipment
Indirect Costs
– Time costs
– Bad Press
– Employee morale
– Tighter restrictions and oversight from regulatory authorities
– Production delay
– Increased insurance costs
– Loss of skilled/trained employee
The headaches and trouble associated with all these issues can be avoided greatly by purchasing and using the correct protective equipment! There’s a reason the saying goes ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. But just how do you pick the correct equipment for the job?
Choosing the glove that fits (the job)
70% of workers don’t wear hand protection. Let that sink in for a minute before we tell you that of those who are wearing hand protection 30% aren’t wearing the right kind for the job. (https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2020/02/01/A-New-Year-of-Hand-Safety.aspx)
To pick the correct equipment (then training and enforcing your staff to wear it), use the table below to determine what protections you need to consider.
| Protection Required | Feature |
| Impact | Kevlar
https://logoworkgloves.com/kevlar-cut-resistant.html Leather Palm https://logoworkgloves.com/leather-palm.html |
| Puncture | Leather Palm https://logoworkgloves.com/leather-palm.html |
| Cuts | Kevlar https://logoworkgloves.com/kevlar-cut-resistant.html |
| Grip | Leather Palm https://logoworkgloves.com/leather-palm.html
Nitrile/Latex Dipped https://logoworkgloves.com/dipped.html Cotton |
| Cold Protection | Insulated |
| Vibration | Deer/Elk/Cowhide |
| Visibility | Safety Colors |
| Driving | Goatskin/Cowhide/Deerskin |
It’s essential to not only pick the right material and type for your hand protection, but also the right size. ISHN found that workers who were uncomfortable in their protective gloves not only wore them less but discarded them earlier (https://www.ishn.com/articles/88326-cost-saving-ppe-solutions-for-tough-times ), costing the company money. If the fit is unergonomic and the sizing incorrect, it affects the quality of work produced and the workers’ willingness to use the item. So be sure to check the sizing charts carefully and purchase in a range of sizes to ensure each worker can find the right fit.
Browse our catalog by popularity (https://logoworkgloves.com/) or contact us at [email protected] to get custom recommendations on the right kind of glove for your protection!
Sources:
https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000496
https://ohsonline.com/articles/2019/09/06/getting-a-grip-on-hand-impact-injuries.aspx
https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2020/02/01/A-New-Year-of-Hand-Safety.aspx
https://www.ishn.com/articles/88326-cost-saving-ppe-solutions-for-tough-times