This week, the Juba technical lab staff have received a practical course at the “Aitex” textile technology institute on updates to the EN388:2016 standard. Juba is thereby strengthening its knowledge on the ISO 13997 vertical cutting test to ensure that quality checks at its laboratory are monitored correctly.  

Here are 5 tips to reduce your spending on work gloves as much as possible. There's no point skimping on quality but it is worth planning ahead and asking suppliers for advice. 1. Only pay for the features you need The first thing we need to analyse before buying work gloves are the worker's daily risks. A mine, a doctor's surgery or an assembly line require different types of protection. If you choose a glove offering less protection than the worker requires, you are exposing your employee to an unnecessary risk and possibly a serious injury. On the contrary, if you purchase gloves with more protection that you need, you are investing extra money unnecessarily. Feel free to contact one of our specialists so you know you're buying the right glove for your specific job - no more, no less. 2. Consider the manufacturing material Leather work gloves have dominated the industry for several decades. However, thanks to recent technological progress, gloves can be made out of other materials opening up a wide range of services at lower prices.  Fibres such as Dyneema® or Kevlar® can be used to manufacture anti-cut gloves without using leather. Models such as DY004, 4400, 4383 offer excellent cutting levels and great touch. In addition, they reduce hand fatigue as they are lighter and more breathable.      3. Planning = saving In a company with wide-ranging needs, one way of reducing costs is to closely analyse the risks involved in each situation. The company can ask a group of workers to test new glove models from a range of prices. You need a plan. If two gloves can be used for the same purpose, perhaps this is a good time to analyse the situation properly and just pick one. 4. Wash gloves to lengthen their life cycle. Whilst some materials react badly to water and detergents, reducing their properties, our products manufactured using Dyneema® fibre can be washed several times without affecting their features. 5. Use good quality gloves Cheap gloves work out expensive. If you try to cut costs by buying lower quality gloves, you won't save money in the end and, more importantly, you'll endanger your workers' health.  The main difference between a 2 Euro glove and a 6 Euro glove is how long it will last. The quality of the materials and its manufacturing increase the useful life of your work gloves. The maths isn't hard - it's easier to use one 8 Euro pair for a week than five pairs costing 2 Euros each. You'll save money and your workers will be better protected. The National Safety Council (NSC) published a report in 2017 stating that average spending per hand injury is 22,384 dollars. Taking into account that a high percentage of these accidents are caused by using work gloves in poor condition, it is logical to think that maybe a minimal investment in this personal protection equipment might make your company great savings in the medium term. Contact one of our experts at [email protected] and they will give you free advice on how to cut your company's costs without affecting worker safety.  

We are proud to present our 10 best work gloves for the automotive industry, focussing on different needs and jobs. Here is a special selection from our experts. Our Top 10 includes gloves suitable for tactile screen use, anti-static, featuring different coatings (polyurethane, watertight nitrile, FOAM, NFT, etc.), several supports (nylon, cotton, polyester, etc.), fine gauges for greater accuracy in assembly and protection from medium and high risk cuts or heat, etc.     BPU1400 Description: Seamless Nylon® glove with PU coating  Why is it in the Top 10? Excellent value for money. Gauge 13 gives it good touch and comfort. Perfect for handling small parts and production line assembly.           111801 Description: Seamless Nylon® + Lycra® fibre glove with nitrile foam coating on palm Why is it in the Top 10? Ergonomic, light and flexible. Very good value for money. Very comfortable work glove with good touch and grip.   4114 Description: Seamless, light nylon® glove with polyurethane covering on the palm. Why is it in the Top 10? Gauge 18 manufacturing means this glove can offer maximum comfort, breathability and accuracy. Perfect for handling small parts.       5700 Description: Seamless work gloves made out of Kevlar® plus a cotton lining Why is it in the Top 10? Recommended glove for automotive work requiring protection against heat and cuts.     H4120 Description: Nylon® glove coated in ultra light foam nitrile on the palm. Why is it in the Top 10? Manufactured using “Smart Tip®” technology making it possible to use your index and middle fingers and thumb on tactile screens without having to take your glove off.         4416 Description: Glove manufactured out of Dyneema® fibre mixed with carbon fibre, Nylon® and Lycra® fibre. Coated in polyurethane on the palm and half back of the hand. Why is it in the Top 10? Highly versatile: gauge 15 and anti-static properties give it level 5 protection against cutting and excellent touch. With Actifresh® treatment that prevents unpleasant odours and eliminates bacteria caused by sweat plus Sanitized® treatment to prevent skin irritation.       AC5440 Description: Seamless Nylon® glove with nitrile coating on palm Why is it in the Top 10? Excellent value for money. Very good dry grip. Top ranking ergonomics. High abrasion resistance.       4407RF Description: Work glove manufactured using Dyneema® fibre mixed with Nylon® and elastane (spandex), nitrile reinforcement between the index finger and thumb to make it last longer. Why is it in the Top 10? Nitrile reinforcement between the thumb and index finger for jobs that wear hard in this area. Flexibility, lightweight and fresh touch along with level 3 cutting protection.         141530 Description: Nylon® and carbon glove with polyurethane coating on palm Why is it in the Top 10? Maximum touch. You can use any device with a tactile screen. Anti-static         SKST Description: Anti-cut sleeve with Kevlar® fibre Why is it in the Top 10? Its 100% Kevlar® aramid fibre provides medium resistance to cuts, rips and rubbing whilst users maintain a high degree of dexterity. It gives good resistance to contact heat (Level 1) according to standard EN407.   In this link you can see our entire catalog of work gloves for the automotive industry

A great many jobs involve daily tasks that endanger workers' hands. Among them, medical personnel run the greatest risks of infections and other contagious diseases. For centuries, health services have been searching for solutions to be able to care for patients without risking their own health. Back in 1847, doctors experimented with washing their hands between patient examinations and autopsies and the patient death rate dropped by 90% in two months! In the 1980s, all health personnel began to use disposable gloves to examine patients, considerably reducing the rate of transfer for contagious diseases. Doctors, nurses, auxiliary staff… all run the risk of pricks, cuts... just like many other professions, although due to the high levels of hygiene required, they should always use disposable gloves. Consequently, one solution that took off widely was the double glove to increase safety as much as possible.   But why a double glove? Because if one of the gloves is pricked or ripped, the second glove can reduce exposure to fluids such as blood by 87%. Perforation rates for disposable gloves among medical personnel vary between 40% and 61% depending on their specialisation. In special situations such as operating theatres, the chances of a cut or a prick are greater (sewing needles, scalpels, etc.) with accidents reported in as many as 1 in 6 operations. How is it done? For this practice, it is recommended to use a smaller gloves on the inside and a larger size of glove on the outside. Although this depends on each person and how they feel about wearing the disposable gloves. The small loss of dexterity and sensitivity in the fingers only lasts for the first few days and you get used to it. The two colour technique If you use two gloves for maximum risk situations such as when operating, it is best to use gloves in different colours. In that way, if either of them has a small opening, this is easy to identify and replace. You can consult Juba's catalogue of disposable gloves by clicking here.

The Navarre Public and Occupational Health Institute (ISPLN) recently published the analysis of a serious workplace accident due to an electric shock and issued its conclusions and recommendations on how to avoid this incident from happening again. Consequently, technicians from the occupational health service run an investigation after each serious occupational accident (three cases in Navarre in the last few weeks). Once complete, the notification is drawn up with the relevant preventive recommendations and it is sent to business organisations, similar companies, trade union organisations, health and safety services, workers and citizens in general, as the Navarre Government stated in a press release. On this occasion, an accident was analysed that had happened during electrical maintenance work on low voltage cabinets. The job, consisting of retightening connections using a wrench and cleaning off any mud, was performed with the power off although for operating reasons, part of the facility was powered. The worker involved in the accident had been informed. For unknown reasons, an electrical arc or discharge occurred, probably due to elements still powered being too close together or accidental contact between them. After the electrical arc took place, the worker's clothing burned quickly and he suffered wounds on his face, arms and chest. After analysing the incident, its causes were put in objective terms as follows: the disconnection procedure carried out was deficient; the worker was not protected against other elements that were still powered. In addition, the worker was not using the right personal preventive equipment for an electric arc risk (clothing, gloves and face protection), due to which the injuries were more serious, he added. The ISPLN recommendations state the importance of an appropriate disconnection procedure, by applying 'the five golden rules' (disconnection, verification that there is no power, preventing reconnection, earthing and short-circuiting if necessary and protecting against other elements that are still powered), according to annex II of R.D. 614/2001, dated 8th June, on protecting workers against electrical risks. It also highlights that, although collective protection should always be prioritised over individual, all workers at risk of exposure to electric arcs should make preventive use of the right personal preventive equipment using at least: screens that filter optical radiation occurring during an electrical discharge (inactinic) as safety glasses do not provide enough protection; and long sleeved clothing, even in summer, and gloves providing protection against electric arcs, depending on the power of the facility, proximity to transformation centres, etc. Finally, in this type of work, the ISPLN recommends consulting the personal preventive equipment supplier, consulting the occupational risk prevention service and looking at risk prevention sheet no. 40 issued by the ISPLN. Navarre remains tenth in the accident rates among the regions of Spain, with a below-average rate, slightly lower than regions such as La Rioja or the Basque Country, added the Executive. In the Juba catalogue we have special gloves for working with electrical threats of up to 40,000 volts of test voltage and 36,000 Volts in use, certified by the European EN 60903 standard. Click here for more information on these gloves or email us at [email protected] to get all the information you need on gloves for dielectric work. Source: Europa Press Agency

Within a common strategy throughout the BUNZL group, Juba is continuing its work to guarantee health and safety for all its workers, obtaining the OHSAS 18001:2007 certification awarded by AENOR. This certification specifically guarantees requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system, intended to allow an organisation to control its risks and improve its OHS. Using good management, we intend to harmonise a common system for a leading group in the Spanish market with wide geographic dispersion. Thanks to its methodology, we aim to reduce accidents in the workplace and increase productivity, by identifying, assessing and controlling the risks associated with each work station, and avoiding causes of accidents and illnesses in the workplace. The perception of a safer environment for workers goes hand in hand with a drop in illnesses, sick leave or absenteeism, an increase in productivity, a progressive reduction in accidents and a fall in sanctions and unnecessary spending. The system helps to meet legislation in terms of prevention, integrating it into the organisation's processes, leading to an improvement in the company's internal management and the communication between the company and the worker, and the company and administrations and interested parties. This certificate is the guarantee and the tool used by health and safety managers to interact independently with the whole organisation By getting this certificate, we aim to promote a preventive culture by integrating prevention into the company's general system. This was the management's intention and it has required commitment from all workers, middle managers and directors. AENOR, our certifying entity is the undeniable leader in Occupational Health and Safety certification in Spain. Since 2004, year of the first Occupational Health and Safety management certificate in accordance with OHSAS 18001, more than 1,300 organisations have certified their Occupational Health and Safety management system with AENOR. The OHSAS certification is a management tool that provides safety to all interested parties in the product supply chain.  In addition, Juba has continued to decisively strengthen its environmental commitment by adding new initiatives over the last few weeks: - Changing traditional lighting for LED bulbs: predicted 2.5% energy-saving  -    Consumption of paper with forestry certification and a FSC® chain of custody -    Most of Juba's car fleet is classified as having level “C” emissions. These vehicles meet the requirements currently set by the European Union concerning emissions. In parallel, we have starting using hybrid cars. You can consult the certificates obtained by Juba by clicking here. Onwards and upwards!  

An important number of the anti-cut gloves in Juba's catalogue are manufactured out of Dyneema® fibre. Used on armoured vehicles, bullet-proof vests, F1 seat belts, etc., this is the strongest fibre in the world. As opposed to other work gloves, Juba gloves made with Dyneema® can be washed over and over without losing their properties, consequently saving your company money. The Juba quality department has tested different gloves (4400, 4402, 4500, 4510 or 4520) in their laboratory coming to the conclusion that after 15 washes, the properties (abrasion, cut, tearing and perforation) of the gloves remain unchanged.  In the following graph provided by DSM (company that owns Dyneema®), we can see how this fibre behaves compared to other materials.   In a recent calculation by DSM based on average use of gloves with similar protection, users of anti-cut gloves manufactured out of Dyneema® can save up to 55% in their annual personal protective equipment bills.  This is due to the fact that Dyneema® is made with UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) and its main properties are not affected by water or detergents. The behaviour of these fibres does not vary (as for other materials) when they come into contact with aggressive chemicals used in manufacturing detergents such as sodium hydroxide and ammonia, hydrochloric acid, etc. Dyneema® fibre's melting point is between 144ºC and 152ºC. However, it is difficult to reach these temperatures in the washing process for any piece of clothing. We should never take Dyneema® over 90ºC, which is more than enough in most cases to get rid of the dirt. To contrast their studies, DSM carried out 3 different washing processes as a test: - Dry cleaning: gloves are dry cleaned using Perchlorethylene (PER) and then dried at 70ºC.  - Washing and drying in a drum: gloves are washed with water and detergent at 60ºC. Then they are rinsed with cold water and put in the drier at 55ºC - Washing and drying in a drum at higher temperatures: in some industries such as the food industry, anti-cut gloves should demonstrate maximum hygiene by adapting to European standards. This test reaches temperatures of up to 95ºC. Washing processes that are either dry or use water and detergent did not have a significant effect on the strength, cutting and abrasion of the gloves being tested. The adjustment, flexibility and comfort were not affected either. However, although the Dyneema® fibre demonstrates great behaviour in terms of washing, we cannot say the same about other fibres used in anti-cut gloves. The structure and properties of cotton, elastane or polyamide might be modified when in contact with detergents or when exposed to high temperatures. Ask one of our specialists if you have any questions on how to wash anti-cut gloves and start saving money now.

Our Flex series, one of the most successful clothing lines in the entire Juba catalogue, is including a new model for summer 2017 that is brown, combined with black. The Flex series is characterised by being very comfortable and multi-purpose, providing long-lasting clothing that gives freedom of movement as it is made with elastane. This range is also available in navy/black and grey/black. For the summer months, we recommend the short sleeved polo top (ref 690), multi-pocket shorts (ref 192), available in a wide range of sizes (from XS to 3XL). If you have any questions on these products, please email us at [email protected].  

Among more than 700 references in the Juba catalogue, we would like to mention our customers' favourite gardening gloves below. Gardening involves a whole range of tasks, requiring gloves specially made for each of them. Let's start! Barbecue: The H295 is our top glove for barbecues, offering effective protection against contact heat. Its design and performance make it one of the kings of summer. Swimming pool: When you add chlorine or other substances to a swimming pool, it is important to protect your hands and forearms from possible splashes that might cause burns and skin irritations. For this job, we recommend our 811C55 glove, tested and certified for use with chemical substances (EN 388:2003EN 374:2003) Planting, pruning and picking: A large number of gardening tasks revolve around planting, picking, sowing, pruning... plants and trees. To protect your hands from calluses, pricks from thorns and other injuries, it is fundamental to work with a glove that provides both protection and comfort.  From our catalogue, we would choose the HN20 (in the photo) 254 and H122210 models. Phytosanitary: When you use chemical products to fertilise your garden or allotment, you should take the right safety measures to protect your hands from chemical agents that can cause severe burns. For these tasks, we recommend the H260 disposable glove reference. Chainsaws: Working with a chainsaw is particularly dangerous. At Juba, we always recommend a certified glove for these tasks. The MT180 model meets the Class II standard (EN 381-7:1999). It is perfect for working both in the garden and in the forest.  Enclosures and wires: There are jobs that require gardening gloves giving protection against cuts. These gloves are manufactured using Dyneema fibres, 8 times stronger than steel and 80% lighter. Light and very comfortable gloves with maximum anti-cut protection. In the photo: Juba Powerfit HDY008SP model