The Selection and Use of Electrical Insulating Gloves of Electricians ...

AS/NZS 2161.1:2000, Occupational protective gloves – Part 1: Selection, Use andMaintenance, was prepared by the Joint Australia/New Zealand Standards Committee. TheStandard sets out recommended practices to allow users to choose and maintainoccupational protective gloves with adequate levels of protection. Hazard identification andrisk assessment are specified as prerequisites in selection of protective gloves, in order toidentify the critical aspects of use and the type of glove likely to suit the type of work andthe anticipated environmental conditions.To summarize, mapping and checklist, are the two main approaches in the selection ofpersonnel protective equipment. In either selection approaches, hazard identification andrisk assessment are essential procedures. The use of PPE is to minimize exposure tospecific hazards or to reduce the severity of injury (Graham, 1999). PPE, itself, canneither reduce the hazard nor guarantee total protection.2.3 Overview of Personal ProtectionThe scope of personal protection includes all control measures in preventing occupationalinjuries and diseases (Herrick, 1998). In the year 2000 survey on ‘Usage of PersonalProtective Equipment in Hong Kong’ conducted by Occupational Safety and HealthCouncil (OSHC, 2000), it was revealed that employers and workers rely on the protectiveequipment as the key means of preventing exposure. The result also indicated that manyemployers and employees had selected the protective device without knowing the hiddenhazards. Effective implementation of personal protection schemes depends on the properplacing of personal protection program in the hazard control hierarchy. Personal protectiveequipment is never a substitute for good engineering control, administrative measures orgood work practices (Ohasis, 2002).26