Hi, I have recently come across an operation at work where small items are polished on bench or pedestal grinders which have been fitted with polishing mops. Some guarding is in place and the operators have produced their own risk assessments and made some jigs to hold some of the components or else they are hand held. I am not that familiar with polishing but would have thought that entanglement would be an issue and the risk assessment produced recoginses this and has a requirement for no loose clothing. However the bit I need help with is that the operators are wearing gloves to help with the heat generated and our PPE supplier has already reviewed this operation and recommended several different types of gloves. Is anyone able to offer any advice on the use of gloves or point me to some general guidance on polishing? Thanks Colin

Without actually seeing the operation it is difficult to provide and firm comment. However, from what I have experienced with this type of polishing the potential for hands, even when gloves, to become trapped in the polishing mop is minimal. After all, if that were the case, then a far greater problem would be the trapping of the actual components being polished. Chris

I have seen bench grinders being replaced with polishing mops, but the risk of entanglement is low, say, compared with unprotected rolling bars on a lathe, where loose clothing is definitely a greater risk. Even the abrasive wheels pose less of an entanglement hazard than say material being ejected at speed towards the user.