Our hands are extraordinarily important for day-to-day life. We use the appropriate gloves to protect our hands so that we do not injure ourselves when working. Antimicrobial treatment protects gloves so that they can do their job for us for as long as possible.
A person’s hands contain one-fourth of all their bones. They have quite a complex structure with eight carpal bones, five metacarpal bones, and 14 finger bones. Our hands can grip tightly when necessary, but for precision work, they can provide fingertip accuracy as well.
Multifunctional – powerful, accurate, and sensitive
We each stretch and bend our hands roughly 25 million times over the course of our lifetime. Thanks to reliable interplay between our muscles, our hands can perform what is known as a “force grip” to move and grab heavy and large objects. However, they also master the “precision grip”, which is used for activities such as writing, sewing, or painting. With a “precision grip” your hands turn into tweezers. Our hands also have an incredible tactile sense. Roughly 17,000 receptors and nerve ends respond to pressure, motion, and vibration. The skin at the tip of our fingers is exceptionally sensitive to touch (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), 2021).
When we really think about what we use our hands for, it is worthwhile to pay the utmost attention to protecting our hands. The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has this to say about the matter: “Your hand is also vulnerable because its relatively thin bones, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels are located directly below the skin and are covered by muscle and fat tissue that offer little protection”. Furthermore, the institute states: “Hands are put under heavy strain every day and are often near dangerous tools. As a result, hand injuries and wear-related hand ailments are very common” (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), 2021).
Protective gloves are absolutely essential
We use gloves to protect our hands, but which gloves are suitable for which activities? Swiss accident insurance company Suva recommends protecting hands with special purpose gloves for the following purposes:
- Mechanical impacts (sharp, pointy, or sharp-edged materials)
- Thermal effects (flames, heat, cold)
- Chemical and biological effects (poisonous, infectious, corrosive, or irritating working materials)
- Effects of radiation
- Soiling
- Effects of electrical energy
There are certain protection requirements and standards that the gloves must meet. At the same time, they should offer the highest-possible level of protection without hindering the wearer in their work (Suva n. d.).
Gloves are often used at home as well, whether during washing or when handling powerful or harsh detergents.
Protecting gloves is also worthwhile
Gloves have become an indispensable part of our day-to-day lives, but we give them little consideration. We often do not think about them until they start spreading an unpleasant odor, and then slipping them on is anything but fun. The blame for this unpleasant odor lies in the bacteria that exist in droves inside such gloves. It’s no wonder, since the combination of body heat, sweat, and food (e.g., the glove’s material) are the perfect living conditions for bacteria that produce odor, but it does not have to be this way.
Using antimicrobial treatment can prevent bacterial growth, and thus unpleasant odors as well. If the gloves can be washed, you wouldn’t need to wash them as often. Such treatment extends the service life of gloves and makes them significantly more comfortable to wear.
Read our whitepaper to learn how you can treat gloves with an antimicrobial.
Sanitized® Broadtec™
Sanitized® Broadtec™ is a product range that includes antimicrobial additives which protect materials against all microbes – an all-in-one solution. Now, Sanitized® Broadtec™ material protection is also available as a water-based solution.
Your benefits at a glance:
- State-of-the-art solution
- Easy to dose, ready-to-use dosage form
- Very good skin tolerance, OEKO-TEX® 100 listing
- Excellent antimicrobial effect
- BPR-registered active ingredient
- Global availability
Would you like to learn more about the new water-based Sanitized® Broadtec™ solution? We have collected important information in a FAQ for you.
Would you like to talk about material protection for gloves in person?
An antimicrobial treatment protects your gloves against microbial attacks and makes them fresher for longer. The Sanitized® antimicrobial solutions come with a comprehensive service package that fits your needs. Curious to learn more? Shauna Ge will be happy to discuss your individual needs in a MS Teams call. Shauna Ge is a true specialist in antimicrobial solutions and has a lot of experience in technical as well as marketing aspects.
Chose the time for your personal appointment now.
Sources:
https://www.gesundheitsinformation.de/wie-funktioniert-die-hand.html
https://www.suva.ch/de-CH/material/Factsheets/handschutz-armschutz-und-hautschutz
