What Are Anti-Vibration Gloves?

Are you regularly exposed to vibrations when working? Whether you work indoors or outdoors, you may be exposed to vibrations. Many tools produce vibrations while running. Certain types of machines can produce vibrations as well. To lower your risk of injury, you may want to invest in a pair of anti-vibration gloves.

The Basics of Anti-Vibration Gloves

Anti-vibration gloves are exactly what they sound like: gloves that protect your hands from vibrations. They don't necessarily stop tools or machines from producing vibrations. Rather, anti-vibration gloves absorb vibrations so that they don't resonate through them. They may look like ordinary gloves, but anti-vibration gloves differ from their standard counterparts by absorbing vibrations.

When to Wear Anti-Vibration Gloves

You should consider wearing anti-vibration gloves when working with tools or machines that produce strong vibrations. Vibrations are more than a nuisance. Depending on the strength of the vibrations, as well as the duration for which you're exposed to them, they may cause injury. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that nearly one in three foundry workers developed white finger disease after being exposed to vibrations for just 1.5 years.

Also known as white finger syndrome, white finger disease is a vibration-related injury that affects the fingers. It involves the disruption of blood flow to the fingers, which manifests in the form of pale, white-colored fingers. If left unchecked, white finger disease can lead to Raynaud's disease and other related medical conditions. Fortunately, there are gloves available to protect your fingers from vibrations.

Anti-vibration gloves will absorb the vibrations produced by tools or machines so that they don't harm your fingers or the rest of your body. Vibrations are essentially sound waves, which may or may not be loud. Anti-vibration gloves are designed to absorb these sound waves. They consist of padded material that absorbs vibrations while subsequently protecting you from vibration-related injuries.

How to Choose Anti-Vibration Gloves

When choosing anti-vibration gloves, check to see what material they are made. Different anti-vibration gloves are made of different materials. Some materials, of course, are more effective at absorbing vibrations than others. For maximum protection against vibration-related injuries, you should choose gloves made of a strong vibration-dampening material.

Anti-vibration gloves are available in high-visibility styles. High-visibility anti-vibration gloves are characterized by a reflective coating. They typically feature a yellow- or red-colored outer layer that makes them easy to see in low-light conditions.