The Efficacy of Anti-vibration Gloves

Abstract

Anyone seeking to control the risks from vibration transmitted to the hands and arms may contemplate the use of anti-vibration gloves. To make an informed decision about any type of personal protective equipment, it is necessary to have performance data that allow the degree of protection to be estimated. The information provided with an anti-vibration glove may not be easy to understand without some background knowledge of how gloves are tested and does not provide any clear route for estimating likely protection. Some of the factors that influence the potential efficacy of an anti-vibration glove include how risks from hand–arm vibration exposure are assessed, how the standard test for a glove is carried out, the frequency range and direction of the vibration for which protection is sought, how much hand contact force or pressure is applied and the physical limitations due to glove material and construction. This paper reviews some of the background issues that are useful for potential purchasers of anti-vibration gloves. Ultimately, anti-vibration gloves cannot be relied on to provide sufficient and consistent protection to the wearer and before their use is contemplated all other available means of vibration control ought first to be implemented.

Industrial exoskeletons: Need for intervention effectiveness research

“…For example, some PPE such as antivibration gloves serve as incomplete barriers to hazardous energy. Research on antivibration gloves cautions against reliance on them to prevent hand‐arm vibration risks and emphasizes that all other aspects of the hierarchy of controls should be prioritized before use of antivibration gloves …”

Herramientas Manuales Vibrátiles y Guantes Anti-Vibrátiles

“…La exposición ocupacional a vibraciones mano-brazo ha sido abordada en varios estudios con el objetivo de mejorar el entendimiento de este riesgo y proponer medidas de control para el mismo. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Una investigación sobre las características de la vibración transmitida a la muñeca y al codo proveniente de herramientas de impacto manuales sugiere que la medición de vibración en la muñeca es conveniente para monitorear los cambios vibratorios en las herramientas y evaluar la efectividad de los dispositivos anti-vibratorios. 6 Por otro lado, estudios sobre medidas de control como el desarrollado por De Capua et al 7 han propuesto la instalación de un medidor permanente de vibración que active una alarma en caso que el trabajador esté recibiendo una exposición mayor a la permitida.…”

Evaluation and Measurement of Hand-Transmitted Vibrations

“…(Hewitt et al 2014) HAVS is term from UK Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations and describes a collective term for the effect that vibration can have on the blood vessels, nerves, muscles, bones and joints of the hand and arm and is a reportable condition under the (Health and Safety Executive, 2013).…”