Mining is a core industry across Sub-Saharan Africa, from the deep level operations of South Africa to the copper, gold and mineral sands operations of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Ghana and Tanzania. The hand hazards are consistent across all of them: impact, abrasion and vibration, in that order.
Rock, steel supports, drill rods, conveyor components and rail all present hard fixed surfaces that hands are trapped against. Hand injuries are among the most frequent lost time injuries in mining, and most are crush and pinch rather than laceration. Impact rated backs carrying the EN 388 P designation address the dominant hazard directly.
Winder rope, conveyor belt splices, mesh, sheeting and shattered rock abrade and slice. Abrasion is usually the failure mode that ends a glove's life underground, so abrasion level 4 with a cut level appropriate to the section is the right balance.
Rock drills, jackhammers and grinders transmit vibration that accumulates into Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome over years of exposure. Only gloves tested to EN ISO 10819 make a verifiable difference. Where anti vibration gloves are not available for a task, exposure time control remains the primary measure.
Processing plants handle flotation reagents, cyanide solutions, acids and flocculants. Those tasks need EN ISO 374 certified gloves selected against the specific reagent, not the general handling glove issued at the shaft.
Underground and surface crews need different specifications. Issuing one glove across the operation usually means overspending on one group and underprotecting the other.
Because crush and pinch injuries to the fingers and back of the hand are the most common serious hand injury in the sector. Rock, steel supports and moving equipment create fixed hard surfaces that hands are trapped against, and a cut rating does nothing for that mechanism.
They reduce transmitted vibration when they are certified to EN ISO 10819, but they do not remove the risk. Exposure time limits, tool selection and maintenance remain the primary controls, with gloves as an additional measure.
Usually not. Underground work is dominated by impact and abrasion, while plant and processing work adds chemical exposure and often needs better dexterity. Two or three specifications across the operation is normally more effective and no more expensive.
Send the tasks, sizes and quantities you need and we will come back with a written quotation. Contact Knight Safety Gear.