There is a duty in law whereby employers must provide suitable Personal Protective Equipment (or PPE as it’s known for short) where an employee may be exposed to a danger that they cannot eradicate. Gloves are one of the most common forms of PPE used in many workplaces; but the duty is not just about providing gloves, it is also about ensuring that they are suitable enough.
So in the case of gloves that fall short of protecting you (quite literally), where do you stand?
Well as I have already said, it isn’t just about providing gloves, it is also about ensuring that they are suitable for the job. The regulations that your employer must abide by are rather aptly named The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations. When it comes to suitability the regulations literally state that – Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided.
But they don’t just stop there – the regulations outline what may not be seen as suitable to make the law even clearer on the subject:
(3) … protective equipment shall not be suitable unless-
(a) it is appropriate for the risk or risks involved and the conditions at the place where exposure to the risk may occur;
(b) it takes account of ergonomic requirements and the state of health of the person or persons who may wear it;
(c) it is capable of fitting the wearer correctly, if necessary, after adjustments within the range for which it is designed;
(d) so far as is practicable, it is effective to prevent or adequately control the risk or risks involved without increasing overall risk;
It is very self explanatory. So with the law on your side, I can tell you that if you are injured because the gloves you have been provided with are too short to protect you from the dangers you must put yourself in, your employer may be in breach of the regulations on grounds of suitability. If they are in breach of the regulations and this has caused your injuries, you ought to have a successful claim.
To give you some general examples:
- Gloves that do not cover the arms where you must reach in to a deep oven
- Gloves that do not cover your arms when working with dangerous materials such as hot liquids of sharp objects
- Gloves that are too small to fit your hands
They’re all rather obvious to be fair. Although if you are provided coveralls that protect your arms, you don’t necessarily need arm length gloves – but your employer must still ensure that there are no gaps between the coveralls and gloves. So size matters in this kind of scenario – and the duty is on your employer to get it right!
For help and advice call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 7575 today.