We all know that you should wear gloves whenever you are handling substances that are potentially hazardous to you. But, sometimes its easy to forget where these hazards can be found, because often times they are in common places that you might not expect. Be sure to read this list to see if there are some areas where you need to glove up.
- Salon Chemicals
Whether it is your hair or your nails, there are multitudes of dangerous chemicals that can be encountered at a day at the spa. Salon employees should be hyper aware of these since they are working closely with these chemicals day in and day out. Some of the chemicals that you should keep an eye out for include: trichloroethylene, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, acetone, and formaldehyde. You may not recognize these names at first, because they are not broadcast on the bottles and containers of products lining the salon shelf. These, among other, chemicals can be found in spa products ranging from nail polish and polish remover, hair dye and spray, as well as nail and hair bonding glue.
- Specialty Chemicals
Chemicals in this category are more industry specific, and they are typically produced with specific functions in mind, usually something to do with the end product that comes out of the manufacturing process. These specialty chemicals can be found in many industries, including: agriculture, construction, oil and gas, electronics as will as consumer goods like perfumes, detergents, and paper goods.
- Perchloroethylene
I bet many of you have never heard or seen this word before. This specific chemical is often used in the dry cleaning industry and is known as PCE or PERC. It is a non-flammable, colorless, volatile organic compound. While dry cleaning is the most common place this chemical is found, it can also be seen in other applications such as chemical production, rubber coating, textile factories, and metal degreasing. This chemical can cause serious irritation and/or injury to employees so gloves are a must as well as some sort of facemask to prevent inhalation.
- Pesticides
Some of the chemicals found in popular pesticides are naphthalene, paradichlorobenzene, and capsaicin. For these harsh chemicals, it is highly recommended to use disposable nitrile gloves, because this synthetic rubber has a higher chemical resistance than latex or vinyl gloves.
- Lacquer and Paint Thinners
The hazards that come with using solvents in lacquer and paint thinners include dermatitis, skin irritation and/or numbness in the areas where skin has had direct contact with these solvents. Since the risk is so high it is important to use the proper personal protection equipment, including gloves when working in environments like construction, retail, maritime industries, and automotive.
- Wood Stains
Many of us have probably been part of a wood staining project whether a deck, fence, or cabinet. There is a wide range of different types of wood stains, which means that there is also a wide variety of dangerous chemicals out there. Some of those chemicals include sodium hydroxide, ethyl alcohol, and ethylene glycol. In order to prevent any injury or skin irritation, it is important to wear disposable gloves when working on a wood-staining project.
Latex, vinyl, or nitrile disposable gloves can be used when handling chemicals. However, the harsher the chemical, the more protection you will want. Nitrile has the best chemical resistance followed by latex and vinyl. Be sure that you are aware of the strength of the chemicals you’re coming in contact with, so you can choose the type of glove that will hold up to those hazards.