What is safety equipment? Part1

You’ll see in most of my blogs that I recommend that wearing of rubber gloves or even goggles. The recommendations can vary from wash hands after use to wear full safety gear including breathing apparatus and acid proof clothing. Thankfully, the cleaning chemical industry seldom requires the use of full protective gear. Although, from time to time there will be a need for breathing apparatus.

At Blendwell Chemicals, we would rather have you use too much safety equipment than not enough. We would always rather be safe than sorry. Please do not take this as an opportunity to not use safety equipment because you think we might be overly cautious. Please understand that people can respond differently when exposed to exactly the same thing. Many people have absolutely no problem washing a couple of sinkfuls of dishes without using household gloves and have no problems afterwards. The same experience for another and they may well have an outbreak of eczema so bad that it requires months of treatment with a cortisone cream. Please do not make the presumption that you may not be affected badly as you won’t know until you react.

When the recommendations are for gloves these would not be household gloves that one would wash the dishes with – they are usually yellow. These gloves wear down very quickly and tear extremely easily. The gloves required are thick rubber gloves. These gloves are usually a reddish colour and should either have an elasticated wrist or should come up to the elbow. The ones that are elasticated at the wrist are suitable for when the hands will not be submerged in the cleaning product and the user is wearing a suitable overall.

Safety eyewear would normally be a pair of safety goggles. Ideally, this would be a pair of goggles that would fully enclose the eye and make contact with the skin all the way around the eye. Wearing normal glasses is not enough. Normal glasses might prevent some minor splashing to reach the eyeball but that’s about it. A major splash and any dust and the eye would not be protected. It is possible that the eyes can start itching and burning in the presence of some chemicals, even when there is no direct contact, if goggles are worn you can protect your eyes.

Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer of cleaning chemicals that is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Please visit our website at www.blendwell.co.za for information on all our cleaning products. Please look out for the second part of this article.