Rising Demand for Industrial Safety Gloves and Workplace Safety Regulations

Did you know that worker hand injuries account for almost one million medical emergencies across America every year?

• By Hrishikesh Kadam
• Nov 14, 2019

Rising Demand for Industrial Safety Gloves and Workplace Safety Regulations
Did you know that worker hand injuries account for almost one million medical emergencies across America every year? Not surprisingly, around 70 percent of these injuries involve workers who do not wear safety gloves. The remaining people injured use gloves that are either improper or damaged. This data alone proves the importance of industrial or workplace safety as well as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and other safety gear.

The industrial environment has become highly sophisticated, but it still poses a high risk of workplace accidents. With the human hand being one of the most used tools in an industrial setting, improper care or attention may often lead to drastic outcomes. Industrial safety gloves help protect against hazards such as sharp objects, heat and cold, chemical burns, contact dermatitis, and various communicable diseases.

Protective gloves are especially important, and the market for this type of PPE is growing. Rising incidences of workplace injuries and favorable regulatory frameworks to ensure worker safety is driving global industrial safety gloves market, which is projected to reach a valuation of $8 billion by 2025.

Rising Number of Industrial Hand Injuries in the U.S.
According to the Texas Department of Workers Compensation (DWC), a slight increase in workplace injuries was observed during 2018. Strains, sprains, and cuts accounted for a majority of the injuries. Of these, close to 30 percent were serious injuries, the DWC reported citing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.

Yet, this trend applies to the country as a whole. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that injuries to hands and fingers constitute 23 percent of all injuries. These represent the highest in preventable injuries and workdays lost.

The Department of Labor, along with other regulatory authorities in the U.S. such as the National Safety Council (NSC), have set guidelines mandating the use of personal protective equipment. The rules include mandating safety gloves in high risk-prone industries.

A strong regulatory framework in the U.S. will open up substantial opportunities for regional industrial safety gloves market players such as Honeywell. Business will grow for global suppliers like Top Glove, Towa Corporation, Ansell and Rubberex.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) suggests that almost 70.9 percent of hand and arm injuries could be prevented with the use of industrial safety gloves. The agency has enforced guidelines under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act that has been implemented across the U.S.

Manufacturers Aim to Comply with Regulatory Guidelines
Since the revision of major PPE regulations back in 2016, there has been a drastic change in the manufacturing of work safety gloves. A major consequence is the market-wide downgrade in the cut-level scores for safety gloves re-certified under the revised norms of ANSI 105-16 and EN 388:2016. Manufacturers have been redesigning products to ensure maximum safety and regulatory compliance.

For instance, in June this year, Japanese manufacturer SHOWA Gloves unveiled a new range of multi-purpose gloves. Featuring innovative DURACoil technology, the gloves offer exceptional grip along with excellent comfort. They provide superior resistance and durability to protect workers in medium to low cut risk environments.

Launched across the U.K., Ireland and Middle East with help from the Globus Group, SHOWA’s latest range of safety gloves help industries requiring multipurpose hand protection solutions meet their needs in a simple and cost-effective manner. Evidently, regulatory mandates stimulate companies to keep developing safer products.

Industry Players Seek Strategic Alliances for Growth and Innovation
With the expansion of the global industrial sector, industrial safety glove manufacturers have been adopting a collaborative path as part of their growth strategies. A recent collaboration between two of Asia’s largest industrial safety glove manufacturers exemplifies the same.

Riverstone, a Malaysia-based, leading manufacturer of premium-grade cleanroom and healthcare gloves, last month forged a strategic alliance with SHOWA Gloves. The two companies intend to combine their technologies and expertise to lead product innovation in the booming gloves market.

With rising occurrence of industrial accidents and increased regulatory measures to enhance working environments for laborers, the industrial safety gloves market is slated to witness substantial growth in the years ahead. Presence of favorable safety norms and continued efforts, investments, and innovations in product design to comply with these standards will offer promising opportunities for business growth.