HexArmor - Contractor Brochure

Steel Shim Maintenance

WORKING WITH STEEL SHIMS FOR PUMP MAINTENANCE Contractors performing maintenance duties on pumps, motors, turbines and machines regularly use stainless steel slotted shims to level and maintain this equipment. These steel shims create a dangerous hazard for a worker’s hands and are always present, because pump and machine maintenance is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and a significant amount of time handling these shims. While a slotted shim can be a contractor’s best friend when working with pumps, the sharp tabs and corners are dangerous hazards that can cause serious injury. The often paper-thin edges of stainless steel shims can be razor sharp, and easily slice through ordinary leather maintenance gloves, Kevlar ® or cotton work gloves. HexArmor ® interviewed a refinery maintenance worker who received several different injuries working with steel shims, including multiple lacerations to his thumb and index finger and smash injuries to his knuckles. One injury required stitches, and due to the location of the wound, he was off the job for two weeks. After these costly incidents, the safety team began looking for a better hand protection solution. MAINTENANCE WORKER HAS MULTIPLE INJURIES WORKING WITH SHIMS

HEXARMOR ® PROVIDES CRUCIAL PROTECTION FROM RAZOR SHARP SHIM EDGES

After consulting the injured worker and his crew and examining the hazards present on their job site, HexArmor provided him a pair of Chrome Series ® 4026 mechanic’s gloves. As soon as the worker returned to work, he received an almost identical type of cut from the shim while performing routine maintenance using a metal shim. The sharp edge of the shim slashed the exterior synthetic leather covering the finger and palm of the glove. However, this time he was protected by the extra layer of SuperFabric ® brand material underneath, and was uninjured. HexArmor ® products made with SuperFabric ® brand material exceed ANSI/ISEA and CE Level 5 cut protection, which played a huge role in saving this worker’s finger. This worker continued to use the same HexArmor gloves for weeks after the incident, claiming, “They were just as good as ever.”

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