Safety Awareness: Protect Your Hands

Have You Shared This 'Joy'?

Out of all the infuriating things that can happen throughout the day at work, the thing that really makes an impression on those cold days is the searing pain that screams from your fingertips when an unwieldy branch lets loose and gives you a good crack across your pinky finger! This is the one of the absolute 'joys' of working outside during the icy Midwest winters. But guess what? For all of you who have been through this same horror, there's an answer for the pain we've all surely endured!

Wonderful 'Knew' Technology

There are these things called gloves that put a protective layer over the top of your hands that are sure to absorb some of the brutal energy that these twigs can lay onto your phalanges! I'm being glib, of course. You all know what gloves are, but are you actually wearing them and taking advantage of their uses to you on the job site? Gloves have been used for plenty of years and are always going to be around, but what really sets one pair of gloves apart from another and what gloves work best for what application?

Typically, when I need to grab a pair of gloves, I'm heading for a big nasty White Pine that is covered in sap. The gloves help keep the loads of sap off my hands and when I get home they keep me from spending far too much time trying to get the sap off my hands. For the longest time, this was the only use I had for a pair of gloves. Every once in a while if I were working on the ground I'd grab a pair for running ropes, but other than that I wanted nothing to do with a pair of gloves!

A good set of leather gloves have found a permanent home in my work truck. They hang out there until I need them for sappy trees, running ropes or the fateful days that we have trees covered in thorns. They work well and keep my hands protected from all the things that I don't want sticking to me or gouging into me.

Increase Your Safety and Productivity

Some of the newer gloves that are on the market aren't just for keeping your hands clean. These gloves have patches of protective rubber that keep your knuckles from getting too busted up while up in rough barked trees. They also have great rubber coated palms that help you get a better grip on your rope, which in turn can help you work longer throughout the day. By increasing your gripping ability through the friction that these gloves create with the rope, you actually don't have to grab the rope as hard as you usually do. This is great because it also helps reduce the effects of over gripping things throughout the life of your career, which can lead to things like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

When the temperatures really drop, I've found that the Cold Condition waterproof gloves that are made by Ironclad have really helped to keep my fingers toasty warm. Often times we are working in temperatures that are far below the freezing point and cold hands are sure to make your days absolutely miserable. The only thing that could make this situation worse would wet hands on top of cold! If you are working in wet spring conditions that still bring around cold temps then the Cold Condition waterproof gloves are sure to help you make it through the slush and moisture. These gloves allow you to grab all that brush that falls down below the nasty slush that would soak a normal pair of gloves. Keeping your hands warm and dry is a great way to get more things done throughout the work day!

A Helping Hand of a Deal!

For our part, from February 20 through February 27, when you buy two pair of gloves we will give you a third pair for free! Get loaded up on some gloves to keep everyone's hands warm, dry, and protected on your crew! Keep your knuckles and hands clean and keep those pinky fingers protected!