Gloves for Working in the Cold
Blue Collar Workers and Cold Weather
You work
with your hands for a living, and sometimes you have to work with your hands in
the freezing cold. A good pair of winter
work gloves keeps your hands safe and allows you to keep earning a living. Learn
why you should get the best gloves you can find for working in the cold
weather.
Importance of Gloves
When you
work with heavy machinery, you need to be able to grip and manage powered
tools. If your hands are too cold, you will lose the strength and speed you
need to work safely. This puts you at a greater risk of an accident. Keeping
your hands warm also keeps your fingers nimble and allows you to manipulate
smaller tools for more intricate work.
Grabbing
ahold of the cold metal of tools and equipment with your bare hands can also
damage your health. Heat from your body escapes through the exposed skin of
your hands. When your core temperature drops, you are at risk for hypothermia.
If the layers of the skin on your hands freeze, you will experience frostbite.
While always unpleasant, in extreme situations these conditions can even become
life threatening. Your gloves help you avoid these consequences.
Selecting Gloves
The gloves
you wear should be comfortable to work in but also effective at protecting
against the cold. They should be durable but not impede your ability to move
your fingers. Look for gloves with an outer layer that blocks the wind, water
and ice you may encounter as you work. The inner thermal layer should provide
plenty of warmth. Some workers put on a lighter knit glove beneath their work
glove to further insulate their hands. Try out a variety of styles to get an
idea of what works best for your specific needs.
Maintaining Your Gloves
While your
gloves are durable enough to last through a working day, eventually every pair
will wear out with enough use. Inspect them regularly for holes, tears or worn
spots. If the seams are starting to come apart or if the material has been worn
through, it is time to swap them out with a fresh pair. It is wise to keep more
than one set with you so that you are prepared should your current gloves
suddenly rip or need replacing.
When you
make your living with your hands, do everything you can to protect them.
Wearing a good set of gloves in cold weather helps to keep your hands strong
while preventing
hypothermia and frostbite. Choose a pair of gloves that allow you to get
your work safely, and keep an extra set for emergencies.
1 comments:
Well Misty, although you know I don't "work" any more, I am outside a lot early morning hours when it's VERY nippy cleaning up after Moon and Copper. And yes, I know the importance of good work gloves as well as those for kayaking off season...:)JP
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