Client: Superior Glove

Setting new safety industry standards with Superior Glove

CSR, FMCG, Safety

Addressing the Critical Need for Hand Safety

In the realm of workplace safety the statistics regarding hand injuries paint a stark reality. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, injuries to fingers and hands rank highest among preventable injuries, accounting for over 23% of reported incidents. In fact, they come second only to back and neck injuries in terms of both prevalence and lost workdays. What makes these injuries particularly concerning is the discovery that a significant majority of employees who suffer from hand injuries were not wearing gloves at the time, and those who were wearing gloves often wore the wrong ones. The data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics further underscores the risks associated with non-compliance, revealing a distressing increase of over 2,5 times in hand injuries. The consequences of these injuries extend beyond the immediate pain and discomfort experienced by workers. Medical costs and disability claims have seen a rapid escalation, and with each workday missed, the cost of a single injury multiplies significantly. A study conducted by the National Safety Council highlights the financial impact, indicating that a disabling hand or finger injury can cost anywhere from $540 to $26,000 per patient, with serious extremity trauma averaging a staggering $730,000 per incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) echoes the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in preventing hand injuries. Their study reveals that 70.9% of hand and arm injuries could have been averted with the proper use of safety gloves. As a result of these critical safety concerns and the growing recognition of the importance of hand protection, the global industrial safety gloves market is projected to reach a valuation of $13,5 billion by 2032, expanding at over 5,2% Compound Annual Growth Rate from 2023-2032, according to Global Market Insights. In light of these challenges and opportunities, Superior Glove, a leading manufacturer and supplier of work gloves, seeks to redefine their approach to hand safety, going beyond simply offering gloves and embracing a comprehensive safety-oriented business model.

“The prospects of a more holistic approach to hand safety is highly favorable. By offering comprehensive safety solutions that includes nudges to addresses the root causes of hand injuries we support our clients in implementing a safety-conscious work culture. We belive this has the potential to set a new standards across industries.”

Joe Geng, Vice President, Superior Glove

Understanding the Challenge: Rethinking Hand Safety

The main purpose of the mission undertaken by Superior Glove is to reduce hand injuries by rethinking the approach to hand safety. Recognizing that workers’ access to PPE does not equal correct or optimal use of it, Superior Glove aims to offer a comprehensive safety solution that combines their products with advisory and consulting services. This innovative approach aims to address the underlying factors contributing to hand injuries and provide customers with holistic safety solutions. By integrating behavior- and nudge led advisory services alongside their glove products, Superior Glove is addressing the underlying factors that contribute to hand injuries. Their approach recognizes that simply providing gloves is not sufficient to ensure optimal safety. Instead, they are positioning themselves as partners to their customers, offering expertise and guidance to help organizations navigate the complex landscape of hand safety.

Reducing Hand Injuries through a Nudge-led Approach

Superior Glove’s primary objective is to set their customers up for success not only with their gloves, but also providing them with a range of services leveraging insights on the behavior associated with the use of safety equipment. Krukow has joined forces with Superior Glove on this mission, enabling them to offer a comprehensive and innovative approach to hand safety, combining their high-quality gloves with behavioral insights and nudge solution, making it easy for workers in high risk workplaces to keep their hands safe.

The collaboration enables Superior Glove to

Empower sales staff to introduce innovative nudge solutions

Providing easy-to-implement-solutions to optimize hand safety through a nudge-led approach

Support clients and reducing hand injuries

Providing simple and effective nudge solution to help clients address behavioral safety challenges effectively

Develop a nudge catalogue and practical solutions

Providing clients with practical recommendations, visualizations, and descriptions of nudge solutions to measurably improve hand safety.

Enhance safety culture through co-creation

Co-creating with Superior Glove’s clients to harvest operational insights and encourage to internal ownership of nudge solutions that goes above and beyond PPE and traditional safety training

Advantages of a holistic approach to safety

These approaches not only enhance the effectiveness of Superior Glove products, but also support clients in creating a safer work environment, fostering a coherent safety culture, and achieving better safety practices and outcomes across industries. A holistic approach to safety has several advantages. Firstly, it tackles the issue at its root by promoting a culture of safety and encouraging the right behaviors among workers. By developing a catalog of nudges and solutions that support the target behaviors of wearing the right gloves and consistently using gloves, Superior Glove is actively working to reduce hand injuries. Secondly, the holistic approach considers the unique needs of different industries and provides scalable solutions that can be adapted across industries and tailored to specific sites and contexts. This flexibility ensures that organizations within e.g., manufacturing, construction, mining, and oil and gas can benefit from customized safety measures that align with their specific line of work. Furthermore, the integration of advisory services allows Superior Glove to provide a more comprehensive package to their customers. By offering expertise, training, and ongoing support, they can assist organizations in developing and implementing robust safety protocols that go beyond the use of gloves alone. Tapping into a growing market and setting a new standard – In terms of market prospects, the projected growth of the global industrial safety gloves market to reach $13,5 billion by 2032 signifies a significant demand for effective hand safety solutions. With Superior Glove pioneering a business model that combines product excellence with advisory services, they are well-positioned to tap into this growing market and establish themselves as leaders in the industry.