Sometimes Miners need to wear gloves working in water
By: The Working Man
It is necessary and usually required for miners to wear specific
gloves for their own safety. Usually these gloves need to be
thick rubber and be water tight and long in length. There are
many dangers to miners that could damage their hands should they
not wear these accessories when mining.
Gloves of the type mentioned above protect from shale or other
sharp objects that might otherwise become embedded in a miner's
hands. Thick rubber gloves will stop most projectiles and
missiles that might fall or be fallen onto from causing damaging
cuts to the hands.
Thick rubber gloves also protect from water or chemicals that
might be found underground. Exposure to vast amounts of water or
harmful chemicals can damage hands and crack skin. In some cases
poisons, chemicals or bacteria can leach into the blood and cause
blood poisoning.
Rubber gloves also protect by giving grip purchase where there is
no purchase. If for some reason the miner needs stability, rubber
gloves will hold against most surfaces whereas other gloves might
slip off and he might fall and injure himself.
Miners' rubber gloves must be long, up and sometimes over the
shoulder, and be tied off. There are times when water and seepage
will travel down the arm and it can lead to chemical or bacterial
exposure if the gloves are not long enough to cover most of the
exposed areas of the arm.
The thick rubber also protects against chapping of the hands from
using implements on the mining job site. They protect the wearer
from getting blisters and chapped skin that can cause painful
swelling and cracking of the skin.
It is a good idea if you are a professional miner to have more
than one pair of shoulder length water gloves. That way if you
were to wear a hole in one spot you can easily switch off the
glove. Always keep your gear in good repair for your safety.
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