Hand Protection – Know the Laws of Your Province

Employer must provide appropriate protective clothing to every person granted access to the work place if there’s risk of injury or disease to or transmitted through the skin in a work place (COHS Regs., Sec. 12.14); No specific requirements for hand protection.

1. If there’s danger that a worker’s hand, arm, leg or torso may be injured, employer must ensure that worker wears properly fitting hand, arm, leg or body PPE that’s appropriate to the work, work site and hazards identified (OHS Code, Sec. 242); and
2. Employer must ensure hand protective equipment required for utility workers under Part 40 meets CAN/ULC 60903 04, Live Working ‘ Gloves of Insulating Materials (Sec. 799)

1. Employer must provide appropriate skin, hand, foot or body protection if a worker is exposed to a substance or condition likely to puncture, abrade or otherwise adversely affect the skin, or be absorbed through it;
2. If there’s danger of injury, contamination or infection to a worker’s hands, arms, legs or torso, the worker must wear properly fitting protective equipment appropriate to the work being done and the hazards involved (OHS Regs., Sec. 8.19);
3. Workers responsible for providing their own general purpose work gloves (Sec. 8.2);
4. If a glove, apron, or other protective equipment used to protect skin against contact with a hazardous substance is rendered ineffective due to contamination with the substance, protective equipment must be promptly replaced with clean or decontaminated equipment to maintain the required protection (Sec. 8.20);
5. When a worker is exposed to hand-arm vibration, employer must, to the extent practicable, ensure that the worker’s hands or arms aren’t exposed to cold, either from the environment in which the worker is working or as a result of using equipment, or from coming into contact with cold objects (Sec. 7.31);
6. Worker involved in welding or burning operations must wear, among other things, gauntlet gloves of leather or other suitable material and arm protection (Sec. 12.123); and
7. If it’s not practicable to completely isolate high voltage electrical equipment, rubber gloves and other appropriate electrical protective equipment must be selected, used, stored, tested, and maintained in accordance with a standard acceptable to the Board (Sec. 19.16)

Employer must provide a worker with: 1. Hand, arm, leg or body protective equipment that’s appropriate for the risk and to the workplace if there’s a risk of injury to the worker’s hands, arms, legs or torso; and 2. Appropriate gloves or mitts and sleeves if there’s a risk of injury to worker from contact with an exposed energized electrical conductor (WSH Regs., Sec. 6.14)

1. Employees must use adequate protective gloves if they’re exposed to a hazard that may injure the skin (OHS Gen. Reg., Sec. 42);
2. Employees handling objects that may injure the hands must use adequate protective gloves or other protective equipment (Sec. 42);
3. Employees handling wire rope in a logging operation, must wear adequate double-palmed leather mitts or gloves (Sec. 43);
4. Employees exposed to hazard from extreme heat or extreme cold must use adequate protective clothing (Sec. 44);
5. When engaged in structural fire-fighting, firefighters must wear protective handwear that meets or exceeds NFPA 1973, ‘Standard on Gloves for Structural Fire Fighting’, 1993 edition (Sec. 51.4);
6. Employer must provide acid resistive gloves, aprons, goggles or face shields and straps for carrying storage batteries to an employee handling storage batteries or electrolyte and ensure that employee uses the protective equipment provided (Sec. 71(2));
7. Employer must ensure that an employee engaged in a welding, cutting, burning or soldering operation wears, and employee engaged in such an operation must wear, appropriate protective equipment, including leather gauntlet type gloves with arm protection, and (Sec. 276);
8. Employer must ensure that an employee doesn’t work on an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment or closer to an energized electrical utility line or utility line equipment than the applicable distance set out in subsection 289(1) of the Regs. unless the employee uses rubber gloves, shields, insulated objects or other necessary protective equipment (Sec. 288); and
9. Employer must ensure that employees that set or remove poles, light standards or any similar object between energized electrical distribution conductors exceeding 750 volts wear appropriately rated rubber gloves (Sec. 294(2))

1. If there’s danger of injury, contamination or infection to a worker’s skin, hands, feet or body, the worker must wear properly fitting protective equipment appropriate to work being done and hazards involved (OHS Regs., Sec. 78);
2. If it’s not practicable to completely disconnect low voltage electrical equipment, work must be performed in accordance with an electrical safety program that meets a standard acceptable to the minister that, among other things, requires use of appropriate electrical protective equipment, including flame retardant clothing, voltage-related rubber gloves and cover up and other necessary live line tools (Sec. 484(2)(b)); and
3. If it’s not practicable to completely isolate high voltage electrical equipment, employer must conduct a formal hazard assessment and develop an electrical safety program that includes, among other things, providing appropriate electrical protective equipment, including rubber blankets, hoses, hoods, gloves and live line tools selected, used, stored, tested and maintained in accordance with a standard acceptable to the minister (Sec. 490(2)(c))

1. If a person is exposed to a hazard that may injure the skin, employer must ensure that adequate protection is worn or used (Occ. Safety Gen. Regs., Sec. 12(2));
2. If a rechargeable storage battery is charged, or filled with or drained of electrolyte, employer must provide and ensure employee performing the work uses, among other things, acid resistant gloves (Sec. 43(2));
3. Employer must provide a person required to work on an energized electrical installation all protective equipment and devices necessary to work safely on an energized electrical installation, and that comply with applicable standards, including ASTM D120, Standard Specification for Rubber Insulating Gloves, and ASTM F696, ‘Standard Specification for Leather Protectors for Rubber Insulating Gloves and Mittens’ (Sec. 123); and
4. When engaged in structural fire-fighting, a firefighter must wear protective handwear that meets or exceeds the latest version of NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensemble for Fire Fighting (Sec. 193)

Industrial Establishments:

If it’s not practical to disconnect electrical installations, equipment or conductors from the power supply before working on, or near, live exposed parts of the installations, equipment or conductors, workers performing the work must use rubber gloves, mats, shields and other protective equipment and procedures adequate to ensure protection from electrical shock and burns (OHS Indust. Ests. Regs., Sec. 42.1)

Construction Projects:

1. Workers may not use a chainsaw unless they wear, among other things, adequate PPE and clothing, including gloves (OHS Const. Projects Regs., Sec. 112(1.2));
2. Workers exposed to electrical shock or burn must use rubber gloves: (a) that are adequate to protect them against electrical shock and burn; (b) that have been properly tested and certified; and (c) that have been air tested and visually inspected for damage and adequacy immediately before each use (Sec. 193(1));
3. Rubber gloves rated for use with voltages above 5,000 volts AC must be tested and certified to ensure they can withstand the voltages for which they’re rated at least once every 3 months, if they’re in service, or at least once every 6 months, if they’re not in service (Sec. 193(2));
4. Rubber gloves must be worn with adequate leather protectors and not worn inside out (Sec. 193(3));
5. Rubber gloves or leather protectors that are damaged or not adequate to protect workers from electrical shock and burn must not be used (Sec. 193(5)); and
6. Workers must be trained in the proper use, care and storage of rubber gloves and leather protectors (Sec. 193(6))

1. Employer must ensure that all persons handling materials likely to puncture, abrade or irritate hands or arms, wear personal protective equipment to prevent such injuries, unless use of the equipment introduces equal or greater hazards (OHSA Gen. Regs., Sec. 45.13);
2. When working on energized electrical conductors or equipment operating at a potential greater than 120 v nominal up to and including 5,000 v phase to phase, employer must provide and worker must use rubber gloves with a minimum rating of 10,000 v, shields and other necessary safety equipment (Sec. 36.5);
3. When working on energized electrical conductors or equipment in excess of 5,000 v, and not exceeding 15,000 v phase to phase, employer must provide and worker must wear rubber gloves with a minimum rating of 20,000 v or use adequate hot line tools (Sec. 36.5);
4. Rubber gloves must be tested at least twice a year and replaced as required (Sec. 36.5);
5. Rubber gloves must be worn at all times while working on energized circuits in accordance with section 36.6 or while within the primary zone on any poles or structure carrying over 120 v phase to ground to 25000 phase to phase circuits (Sec. 36.5);
6. Employer must ensure that workers required to remove poles, light standards or any similar object between energized electrical conductors exceeding 600 v wear adequate rubber gloves (Sec. 36.16);
7. Employer must ensure that all workers engaged in welding or cutting operations wear, and all workers must wear, among other things, fire retardant gauntlet type gloves and arm protection (Sec. 37.9);
8. Workers must at all times while on a logging worksite wear safety gloves or mitts and other necessary protective equipment (Sec. 41.6);
9. Worker must wear puncture-resistant safety mitts or gloves when handling wire cable (Sec. 41.32);
10. Choker men or workers handling wire cables must wear mitts or gloves of leather or nylon safety gloves (Sec. 41.67); and
11. Employer must provide and instruct workers to wear acid resistant gloves, aprons, goggles or face shields and straps for carrying car or truck batteries when handling storage batteries or electrolyte (Sec. 44.2)

1. Wearing protective equipment suited to the type of work performed such as a hood, apron, leggings, protective sleeves and gloves is mandatory for all workers exposed to burning objects or objects with sharp edges or dangerous projections, splashes of molten metals or in contact with dangerous or infectious substances (OHS Regs., Sec. 345);
2. Employer must that any worker exposed to dust raised by abrasive air blast cleaning wears an air-supplied abrasive hood in compliance with Division VI, gloves, leg protectors and clothing designed to ensure protection from dust and abrasive or metal projections (OHS Regs., Sec. 69);
3. In areas where operations producing dangerous emanations of ultra-violet radiations such as arc welding and cutting and resistance welding are carried out, the hands and forearms of workers exposed to appreciable doses of radiation must be protected with gloves or protective creams (OHS Regs., Sec. 143)

Construction Regs.:

1. Mittens or gloves must be worn for handling sharp-edged objects or objects with abrasive or rough surfaces, or of corrosive, poisonous or other substances which present similar risks (Safety Code for Const. Industry, Sec. 2.10.10);
2. Mittens or gloves may not be worn for handling of mechanized apparatus except if there’s a risk of frostbite, in which case they must permit proper manipulation of the apparatus and be easily removable (Sec. 2.10.10);
3. A worker freezing a water pipe must wear mittens or gloves to protect against chilblain (Sec. 2.19.3);
4. Wearing an air-supplied hood, gloves and clothing designed to ensure protection from dust and abrasive or metal projections is compulsory for any worker using an abrasive air blaster unless the worker is isolated from the process (Sec. 3.20.1); and
5. Chainsaw users must wear gloves that allow a grip on the chainsaw’s handles (Sec. 3.20.1)

General PPE:

1. Employer or contractor must provide, and require worker to use, suitable and properly fitted hand or arm protection to protect from injury to the hand or arm, including: (a) injury arising from contact with chemical or biological substances; (b) injury arising from exposure to work processes that result in extreme temperatures; (c) injury arising from prolonged exposure to water; and (d) puncture, abrasion or irritation of the skin (OHS Regs., Sec. 7-12(1));
2. If a worker may contact an exposed energized high voltage electrical conductor, employer or contractor must provide, and require worker to use, approved rubber insulating gloves and mitts and approved rubber insulating sleeves (Sec. 7-12(2));
3. If workers are routinely exposed to a hazardous material or substance, employer or contractor must provide, and require workers to use, protective clothing, gloves and eyewear or face shields adequate to prevent exposure of a worker’s skin and mucous membranes to the hazardous material or substance (Sec. 7-13); and
4. Employer or contractor must ensure that a worker who operates a grinder: (a) is provided with and uses proper PPE, including hand or arm protection (Sec. 10-12(4))

1. Employer must provide, and require a worker to use, suitable and properly fitted hand or arm protection to protect against injury to the hand or arm, including: (a) injury arising from exposure to chemical or biological substances; (b) injury arising from exposure to work processes that result in extreme temperatures; (c) injury arising from prolonged exposure to water; and (d) puncture, abrasion or irritation of the skin (OHS Regs., Sec. 101(1));
2. If a worker may contact an exposed energized high voltage conductor, employer must provide, and require worker to use, approved rubber insulating gloves and mitts and approved rubber insulating sleeves (Sec. 101 (2));
3. If a worker is routinely exposed to a hazardous substance, employer must provide, and require the worker to use, protective clothing, gloves and eye wear or face shields that are adequate to prevent exposure of the worker’s skin and mucous membranes to the hazardous substance (Sec. 102); and
4. Employer must ensure that a worker who operates a grinder is provided with and uses hand or arm protection and other PPE (Sec. 153(4))

1. Workers are responsible for providing and wearing general purpose work gloves required by the nature of the work or elements (WSC Regs., Sec. 1.08(b));
2. Appropriate skin, hand, foot or body protection must be provided if a worker may be exposed to a substance or condition that may puncture, abrade, burn, corrode, electrically shock or otherwise adversely affect the skin or be absorbed through it (Sec. 1.14);
3. Battery charging, which may produce flammable gases, must be carried out following the manufacturer’s recommended procedures, using proper PPE, including acid-resistive gloves, aprons, goggles or face shields (Sec. 8.19);
4. If it’s not practicable to completely disconnect low-voltage electrical equipment, work must be authorized by the employer and performed by electrical workers in accordance with written safe work procedures that, among other things, require use of appropriate electrical protective equipment, including rubber gloves and cover up (Sec. 9.07(3));
5. If it’s not practicable to completely isolate high-voltage electrical equipment prior to electrical workers beginning work on it, safety measures must be taken, including, among other things, appropriate electrical protective equipment, including rubber blankets, hoses, hoods, gloves and live line tools must be selected, used, stored, tested, and maintained in accordance with their applicable Underwriters Laboratories of Canada standards (Sec. 9.09); and
6. (1) Firefighters actively engaged in firefighting activities, or who are or may be exposed to hazards associated with firefighting other than forest firefighting, must wear full protective equipment including helmet, coat, pants, hood, gloves, boots and face shield, which meet the following requirements: (a) NFPA 1971, current edition, Protective Clothing for Structural Firefighting, (b) CGSB Standard 155.1-2001, Firefighters’ Protective Clothing for Protection Against Heat and Flame, (c) or other similar standards acceptable to the board (Sec. 11.06)