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Vibration-Reduction Gloves

Last updated: September 2, 2019

What Does Vibration-Reduction Gloves Mean?

Vibration-reduction gloves (also known as anti-vibration gloves or AV gloves) are a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to limit the wearer’s exposure to vibration from hand-operated equipment.

They are used to protect the hands and arms and to increase the comfort of workers using high-vibration devices.

Safeopedia Explains Vibration-Reduction Gloves

Vibration-reduction gloves may attempt to reduce vibration exposure through a variety of mechanisms, including air pockets, foam, and gel. The design of these gloves is specified by the ISO 10819.

Vibration-reduction gloves are not an effective means of limiting workplace injury due to vibration exposure. In some cases, they may even increase worker exposure to injurious vibration frequencies. Occupational health and safety organizations such as the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) specifically warn against using these gloves for the purpose of protecting against vibration, as it is usually not practicable to test whether these gloves would be useful within a particular work context.

While firms that sell vibration-reduction gloves market them as an effective form of PPE, scientific testing published in peer-reviewed journals such as The Annals Of Occupational Hygiene have found this to be untrue. In particular, the gloves do not provide workers with effective or sufficient protection against Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), a condition that includes an array of symptoms such as permanent vascular and neurological damage. OHS experts advise that the best way for workers to avoid the risk of HAVS is simply to limit the amount of time they are exposed to vibration.

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Synonyms

Anti-Vibration Gloves

AV Gloves

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