Arm Protection: Why Sleeve Protectors Matter in Workplace Safety

Workplace hazards don’t end at the wrist. Just like hands, arms can be at risk as well. Sleeve protectors matter.

Gloves protect workers’ hands from injuries like cuts, burns and abrasions, as well as injuries caused by impact and even vibration. Arms, though also in danger, may be left unprotected.

“Too often, we fail to consider that arms are vulnerable to many of the same hazards that cause workers to need gloves,” says M.B. Sutherland, a senior safety writer, citing National Safety Council statistics showing that arm injuries accounted for nearly 5 percent of injuries involving days away from work in 2017 (in comparison, hand-related accidents accounted for more than 13 percent of such injuries).

Personal protective gear for arms, in the form of safety sleeves, may help prevent some of those injuries.

Workplace Safety: When to Use Sleeve Protectors for Arms

“Often workers need to reach over or under machinery, shelving or other rough materials to complete a task. So while hands may be protected with gloves, arms without proper protection are vulnerable to cuts, abrasions and burns,” Sutherland writes in OH&S. “Routine tasks such as moving items in and out of bins can become hazardous if workers have to reach into barrels or other receptacles that contain sharp materials. Even the receptacles themselves can cause injury as bins become worn over time and may have sharp, uneven edges.”

John Mazur regional manager in the Northeast for Worldwide Protective, says cut-resistant sleeves are often used in automotive plants, where workers are reaching in and out of sharp-edged chassis, as well as at glass plants and metalworking plants.

“You may have stacks of sheet metal, people reaching around or over items in their work area, so you want to make sure that the arm is completely protected,” he says. Even workers cutting metal banding on pallets may benefit from protective sleeves. “When those get cut, there’s a lot of tension on them. A lot of times those bands will really rip back.”

Sleeve protectors can do more than protect against cuts, says Sutherland.

“Chemical splash, radiant heat and hot materials can easily injure arms if your workers have only shirt sleeves, which can also gap open between wrist and elbow, or no arm covering at all.”

Protective Sleeve Types: A Wide Range for Comfort and Material

Just like gloves, the material used to make sleeves varies depending on their intended use.

Mazur says at Worldwide, form-fitting, cut-resistant protective sleeves are made out of the same material as gloves, and the fabric is tested by the same ANSI standard that measures a glove’s cut resistance, ASTM F2992-15. The yarn for the fabric is woven into a tube, which can be cut to any length. Doubled over, it becomes a two-ply product. Some sleeve protectors use Kevlar as well which can work the same way when doubled over.

A variety of materials are used to make sleeves. Cut-resistant sleeves are often made with para-aramid. Some sleeves use wicking fabrics on the inside to help keep workers cool and dry. Two-ply sleeves can also be made to be heat-resistant.

“The single ply is good for keeping your arms cool or maybe providing some cut protection, but they really aren’t going to provide a lot of heat resistance,” Mazur says.

For workers who need a higher level of protection from burns, safety managers should consider cape sleeves, which have a blousier cut and use heavier materials.

Sleeves can also be puncture-resistant, and specially designed sleeves are available for welding, for protection from arc flash, and for tasks like food preparation.

 Not sure what the best sleeves are for your workplace? Use this interactive product selector to help give you the best options.

How do you use sleeve protectors in your facility?