Protective Clothing for the Glass Industry

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FOR THE GLASS INDUSTRY

The glass industry is a truly global business employing millions of personnel worldwide, with around 100,000 in the UK alone. Due to the manufacturing techniques and the materials used and produced, glass manufacturing and processing are one of the most potentially dangerous working environments. However, health and safety legislation and initiatives within the industry (for example, The Glass Charter in the UK) and by individual employers, combined with the existence of suitable personal protective equipment (often designed and developed specifically for the glass industry) means that the industry enjoys, in most countries, an enviable safety record.

Although both glass manufacturing and processing inevitably share a range of common hazards, and PPE solutions, there are distinctly different risks faced in the two main types of working environment.

HOT END

At the Hot End, the principal needs are to provide protection against ignition whilst working in the general proximity of heat and flame and against extreme heat (both radiant and convective), not only during the manufacturing process itself, but also during furnace repair work and plant maintenance, where temperatures can reach several hundred degrees C and with a potentially naked flame.

In these circumstances it is important that garments (often a separate jacket and trousers) not only provide adequate insulation and flame-protection, but are of a loose fit to allow heat dissipation and are ergonomically designed for comfort, mobility and quick removal if necessary; forced cooling may be necessary in some circumstances.

Despite the wide range of flame-retardant man-made fabrics available today, a number of multinational companies continue to use garments (including hats) manufactured from a treated heavyweight wool due to its excellent insulation properties. These may be reinforced with either an aramid fabric for additional insulation and to prevent singeing in the case of accidental contact with heat or an aluminised fabric to protect against extreme radiant heat. Alternatively a full aramid or aluminised garment with a wool or other lining can be worn. Head protection, usually for furnace repairs, is provided in the form of a balaclava hood manufactured from multiple layers of a knitted flame-retardant fabric, often Nomex®, sometimes with a nose-piece for maximum facial protection. All clothing should be certified to EN ISO 11612:2008, the relevant European/international standard for protective clothing against heat and flames, although products certified to EN 531 (an earlier standard) continue to be in use.

The same principles apply to hand protection in so far as it must provide flame-retardancy with adequate insulation, dexterity and grip. Aramid continues to be the most suitable fabric for this purpose, having supplanted leather and asbestos some time ago. In extreme conditions a mitt, rather than a five-fingered glove, may be more suitable as its construction permits additional insulating layers and improves air circulation and heat dispersion, and can be discarded more quickly in an emergency. Where dexterity and grip are paramount and the heat is less severe, a seamless knitted aramid gauntlet with a cotton lining will provide adequate protection, in some cases up to 500°C. Gloves should be certified to EN 407:2004, the European standard for gloves giving protection from thermal hazards, and ideally also to EN 388:2003, the equivalent standard for protection against mechanical risks.

COLD END

The hazards encountered in glass processing can be equally severe and potentially life-threatening. Traditionally the prime areas of exposure to the risk of injury, principally from broken glass, have been regarded as the arms, wrists and hands, although employers are now increasingly giving consideration to other areas including the legs and stomach.

Arms and wrists can be protected by sleeves and cuffs/wristguards respectively. Originally manufactured from leather, these are now commonly manufactured from aramid composite materials, usually covered or reinforced with polycotton for a comfort and additional protection. Due to the wide range of high performance fabrics now available, ideally these should be certified to Level 5 cut-resistance and Level 4 puncture-resistance (the maximums obtainable) according to EN 388:2003. In the UK cuffs/wristguards should be a minimum of 20cm long according to the GGF guidelines.

Hand protection for handling and cutting glass is now usually provided by a knitted aramid or UHMW polyethylene composite glove with a palm (or sometimes, full) coating appropriate to the particular application. Latex and nitrile are the most common coatings. Latex provides good grip in dry, wet and oily conditions, although nitrile is sometimes preferred for soft coat, its better resistance to cutting oils and to avoid latex allergies; leather may be used for increased durability and also to avoid damage to soft coat. Fingerless gloves are no longer considered appropriate for any glass handling activities. All products should be certified to EN 388:2003, with gloves offering Level 5 cut-resistance (the maximum obtainable), often with Level 4 puncture-resistance, now widely available.

Recent developments in yarn and knitting technology have brought a new dimension to torso protection. The traditional leather jacket, sometimes reinforced with metal rivets, gave way initially to polycotton jackets and sweatshirts lined with or made from aramid fabric and, most recently to lightweight seamless knitted garments usually manufactured from a blend of high performance fibres and combining comfort with maximum cut protection. In the absence of any specific international standard for this type of protection, garments should instead be certified to the relevant glove standard (EN 388). Reinforcements in key areas (shoulders, arms and stomach) can provide enhanced puncture-resistance.

Aprons, now usually manufactured from aramid fabrics, but sometimes reinforced with leather, continue to be used to provide cut and puncture protection to the lower torso and/or thigh/groin areas. Leg protection, total or partial, can be provided by polycotton trousers lined with a soft aramid composite fabric. Aprons and trousers should be certified in the same manner as other garments.

Other items of PPE such as footwear, eyewear and respiratory protection, which are critical in both hot and cold end applications, are subject to their own regulatory regimes and outside the scope of this article.

David Bennett

Managing Director

Bennett Safetywear Ltd

(With thanks to Andy Reid and Ken Ward)