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Chemicals and abrasive solvents are used by billions of people worldwide. According to Environmental Science & Technology, there are more than 350.000 chemicals and chemical mixtures in the world, registered for commercial production and use. Workers who are in contact with chemicals, hazardous substances, and gases – even simple cleaning detergents – are putting their hands at risk.

While chemical injuries occur more frequently in occupations where chemicals are manufactured, they also happen in other high-risk industries such as mining, painting, construction, oil & gas healthcare, warehousing, transportation, agriculture, and welding.

HOW CHEMICAL INJURIES HAPPEN

Some of the injuries happen when workers are unintentionally exposed to seemingly non-harmful solutions or gases over long periods of time.

That’s because chemical risks don’t stop at the surface. Removing them requires the proper attention, up-to-date knowledge, and the right protective measures. SHOWA combines unparalleled expertise in chemistry and chemical resistant materials with top of line glove manufacturing processes, bringing you a complete and comprehensive chemical protection platform. SHOWA aims to empower customers with knowledge and tools to make better and more informed choices about their chemical hand protection

WHY DO CHEMICAL INJURIES HAPPEN?

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No PPE glove is worn during the application

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The glove material is not compatible with the chemical

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The glove has been worn too long and permeation has occurred

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The glove is worn down in places due to abrasion and degradation that has occurred

THE DANGERS OF CHEMICALS AT WORK

350,000 chemicals & chemical mixtures

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157,000

Individual listed chemicals identified by CAS numbers, according to the most comprehensive global inventory to date.*

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120,000

Substances that could not be conclusively identified

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75,000

Mixtures, polymers and substances of unknown or variable composition

WHO PAYS THE PRICE OF CHEMICAL INJURIES?

Chemical injuries are costly to both the employee and the employer; medical fees, legal fees and fines are only the monetary costs paid by companies due to hand protection failures that could have been avoided. But let’s not forget about the days-away-from-work, the reduced production time, and the serious complications that workers with chemical injuries can go on to suffer.

Text in Image: Patients with chemical burns can go on to suffer the following complications:

Patients with chemical burns can go on to suffer the following complications:

Pneumonia

Pneumonia

Renal failure

Pneumonia
Pneumonia

Wound
infection

Pneumonia

Urinary tract infection

Other blood/ systemic infection

Pneumonia

Dysrhythmias

Pneumonia
Pneumonia

Respiratory
failure

Septicemia

Pneumonia

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHEMICAL DEGRADATION AND PERMEATION?

Safety professionals choosing a chemical-resistant glove must look at the glove’s degradation and permeation. Many PPE glove providers only offer the glove degradation data, but there is a distinct and critical difference between these two.

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DEGRADATION:

Signs of degradation by a chemical are clear. The glove material is being attacked by the chemical and will show abrasion marks and holes. Burns or injuries will likely appear on the skin within several hours

PERMEATION:

Chemical permeation cannot be detected by the human eye. Unless the chemical is cleaned off properly, it will be absorbed into the glove material on a molecular level, emerging inside the glove as a vapour to enter the skin and bloodstream. This can use serious long-term injuries that appear later on

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THE CHEMREST PLATFORM, THREE PILLARS OF PROTECTION

EDUCATION

    • Up to date knowledge, expertise and tools help customers make the right glove choice and avoid injuries.
    • Chemical glove search directory with permeation data by glove/CAS number, and support.
    • In-person or online technical training of your employees on chemical resistance hand protection.

EVALUATION

    • On-site assessments by our glove experts on customers’ specific needs
    • Customized test of currently used gloves against the chemical environments they may encounter.
    • Benefiting from our in-house chemical laboratory services, where particular materials can be tested under controlled conditions to offer bespoke advice on hand protection and cost savings

EQUIPMENT

    • Recommendations for the most suitable and performant glove based on real, unbiased chemical performance data and customers’ applications.
    • Consolidated CHEMREST product series that can be used across all relevant markets, industries, and applications
    • Each glove comes in a variety of sizes, lengths, and thicknesses for additional personalization

OUR CHEMICAL EXPERTS

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KNOWLEDGE OF CHEMICAL RISKS IS THE KEY TO PROTECT YOUR HANDS

SHOWA aims to empower customers with the knowledge and tools to make better and more informed choices about their chemical hand protection. Download our brochure to learn more about:

    • Chemical resistance norms and terminology
    • Protection against micro-organisms such as coronaviruses
    • Recognizing your level of protection with our ABC labelling
    • Uses and performance of popular glove polymers

We remind you that our team of chemical glove experts are a phone call away and can offer more bespoke advice.

THE FIRST STEP OF OUR EVALUATION PROCESS: CHEMREST.COM :

Selecting the right chemical resistant glove for the job is a lot easier with our best-in-class Chemical Resistant Glove Directory, ChemRest.com. Supported by our global network of manufacturing, research, and safety specialists, ChemRest.com is the first step to evaluating your protection against the chemicals you use, for the time you use them.

ChemRest.com features an intuitive navigation, an enhanced chemical search by name or CAS number, and the ability to compare different gloves against each other. Safety professionals can benefit from:

    • User-friendly chemical directory with hundreds of chemicals available
    • Free on-demand testing for addiction chemicals
    • Access to expert chemical data and resources in one place
    • Dedicated technical support
    • Cost-effective hand protection solution thanks to the accurate chemical glove selection and recommendation

SHOWA’S CHEMICAL LABORATORY SERVICE

As a premium service, SHOWA offers a free comprehensive analysis of your chemical-resistant glove usage, for example, to help with the latest EN 374 compliance requirements. At our in-house chemical laboratory, we are able to test any chemical or chemical mix you may be using. You receive a detailed report with glove recommendations based on your hazardous chemical usage. This program is designed to give the most cost-effective analysis and complete coverage of EN 374 requirements

A NOTE FROM OUR EXPERTS:

So often, the purchasing process of chemical resistant gloves starts with the question: “What is the alternative to the glove I am using now?” When in fact, the glove currently being used is not suitable for the application (anymore).

This scenario is the most dangerous way to purchase hand protection because not only workers are being placed at risk, but so is the company.

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SHOWA’S ON-SITE RISK EVALUATION PROGRAM

Chemical resistance tests are always conducted in controlled laboratory conditions, unlike the real and more variable workplace environments of our customers. SHOWA’s Risk Evaluation Program takes other potential hazards into account with a holistic approach. It consists of a safety evaluation and strategic plan whereby glove trials can be managed effectively through 4 timed processes, which evaluate the performance of SHOWA gloves vs. an existing glove. One of our safety glove experts will first evaluate your situation, processes, and the chemicals that you use. After (approximately) 4 weeks, a cost-efficient custom-made plan for your hand protection needs will be presented. The initial evaluation can happen on-site, but also remotely via video-calling.