Glove Talk

[EndGamer]

My coach has a question about what type of gloves we need while at the competition. At the bottom of Page 6 of the safety manual, it mentions that you need the proper gloves. Is this just for if you have dangerous materials, or are you required to wear gloves at all times?

EDIT: I think my link is broken. The URL is http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...ety_Manual.pdf

[apalrd]

There is no requirement to wear gloves at any time at the competition.

The safety manual is only a guideline, it is not the rules. The rules are at frc-manual.usfirst.org

[Woolly]

From experience, and the wording in the safety manual, I believe the proper course of action would just be to keep a box of rubber gloves in your pit just in case you need to handle dangerous material. I would also tell your team's students to bring work gloves if they want them.

[magnets]

I don't think I've ever brought gloves to the competition, but if your robot used some kind of dangerous chemical, then you should.

In fact, while working with drill presses and lathes, gloves can be really dangerous. I've worked with a guy who lost most of a finger that way.

[Jon Stratis]

For the most part, I've only seen gloves used to help lift and carry a robot - sometimes the parts you have to lift by aren't all that comfortable, and having a nice pair of work gloves can make life a lot better for your hands over the course of the weekend.

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

For the most part, I've only seen gloves used to help lift and carry a robot - sometimes the parts you have to lift by aren't all that comfortable, and having a nice pair of work gloves can make life a lot better for your hands over the course of the weekend.

At official events, I've almost always used gloves/had my teammates use gloves when lifting the robot. It's been a few months, but if my memory serves me correct, in MAR, during drivers meetings, we generally our told that gloves are pretty much required/strongly encouraged when lifting the robot on and off the field.

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by magnets

I don't think I've ever brought gloves to the competition, but if your robot used some kind of dangerous chemical, then you should.

In fact, while working with drill presses and lathes, gloves can be really dangerous. I've worked with a guy who lost most of a finger that way.

For instance: if the robot had a 13lb box full of heavy metals and extremely corrosive acids that was susceptible to physical damage. This would be especially critical if this box were removed and replaced every match and each team had multiple boxes.

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

For the most part, I've only seen gloves used to help lift and carry a robot - sometimes the parts you have to lift by aren't all that comfortable, and having a nice pair of work gloves can make life a lot better for your hands over the course of the weekend.

This is mostly what the safety manual is referring to IMO.

[Pretzel]

You should keep a box of rubber gloves with you for if a battery leaks, but there is no requirement otherwise. If your robot has uncomfortable protrusions where you lift it and/or lacks handles (for the past three years my team has incorporated handles into the frame perimeter, which is quite handy) then you may want a pair of work gloves to lessen the discomfort caused by lifting and carrying it.

On the topic of wearing gloves while using machines, I would recommend highly against it. Anything extra that you don't need to be wearing is a safety hazard when using machines since it's just one more thing that could get caught up in moving parts.

As a final note, I would recommend that your team invests in a pair of safety glasses for each member. If you buy the glasses and get one of those cords that slips onto the end pieces of the glasses it allows you to always have safety glasses should you need them (when you don't need them they can just hang from your neck thanks to that cord). This is miles easier than only having a few pairs and needing to have to step out of the pit area (safety glasses ARE required there) and hand off a pair to a member who needs to get in. It's also just easier if you wear the pair around your neck or on your face at all times since they'll always be there when you need them.

[PAR_WIG1350]

I would like to reiterate the following warning: Gloves and moving parts can be a bad combination that can lead to injury.

That being said, work gloves for lifting can protect your driver/human player's hands from various uncomfortable robotic protrusions and such.<kindaofftopic> When I was an operator, I also wore a pair of gloves in the queueing line to warm up my hands so I could move my fingers faster. This isn't an issue in warmer venues, but it can help.</kindaofftopic>

Rubber gloves are also good to have not only for battery spill kits, but also for first aid kits. Injuries can be messy.

[colin340]

Durability
Durability
Durability

I worked at a sawmill once got cursed up and down for trying to wear gloves.
they are nice for moving a sleeping robot.