Protect Your Employees with Tucker Safety Products

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Since 1986, Tucker Safety Products has offered smart, effective personal protective equipment for the food service industry.

Working in a professional kitchen presents unique hazards and injuries like cuts, burns, and exposure to harmful chemicals happen every day.  When Vincent Tucker founded Tucker Safety Products, he had been working in the catering industry and was struggling to find protective apparel that made sense for food service employees. At the time, protective apparel in the kitchen industry was aimed only at combating burns from direct heat, which don’t cause the majority of kitchen injuries.  According to Tucker Safety Products, “the majority of injuries occur from boiling water, steam, and oil or grease.” Vincent was particularly frustrated with oven mitts and his decision to design the perfect oven mitt is what sparked the creation of Tucker Safety Products and the mission to provide safety apparel designed to protect kitchen workers from costly injuries.  So, what makes the perfect oven mitt?

Protection from Everyday Kitchen Hazards 

Tucker says the most important aspect of an oven mitt (and other protective apparel) is effectively protecting the user from hot liquids and vapors.  Tucker BurnGuard® products use a protective barrier on the inside called VaporGuard®. VaporGuard® prevents boiling water, hot oil, grease, and steam from reaching (and burning) your skin. This material will not burn, melt or crack when exposed to temperatures reaching 500° – the highest temperature (most) commercial ovens would reach during service. To add to the protection, Tucker conventional oven mitts feature Nomex® for the outer shell. Nomex® is flame resistant fiber that’s about 30% more durable than Poly-Cotton.

Tucker Safety - 06180 - 18 in BurnGuard Oven Mitt with Nomex® Outer Shell
Tucker Safety – 06180 – 18 in BurnGuard Oven Mitt with Nomex® Outer Shell

Designed for Kitchen Employees

Tucker also believes any personal protective equipment for those working in the food industry must fit well, be comfortable, allow for dexterity, and live up to heavy use. This is what Tucker calls the “human side of protective apparel.”  In other words, provide intelligent apparel that actually works in the kitchen. For example, Tucker started noticing that the area of an oven mitt or glove between the thumb and index finger gets the most wear and tear. The GussetGuard™ Protector can be found in all conventional style Tucker gloves and is basically extra padding inserted in between the thumb and index finger in order to offset abuse, and increase the longevity of those gloves. Genius!

Tucker Safety - 50362 - 36 in BurnGuard Apron with QuicKlean™
Tucker Safety – 50362 – 36 in BurnGuard® Apron with QuicKlean™

Food Safety

Don’t forgot one major theme we haven’t mentioned yet—food safety and sanitation. True personal protective equipment can’t present the danger of harboring bacteria and causing cross contamination or food-borne illnesses. That’s why Tucker oven mitts and steam resistant gloves aren’t made of quilted cotton. Cotton absorbs liquids and can’t hold up to multiple wash cycles. Tucker protective gloves and aprons are designed to withstand the heavy laundering and sanitizing required in the food industry. For added convenience and safety, look for gloves designed with the QuicKlean™ feature. Gloves with QuicKlean™ can be wiped clean, sanitized, and used again immediately.

Who knew there was so much to learn about oven mitts for the professional chef?  Just know that what you’ve learned here is unique to Tucker Safety Products. You won’t find this level of complexity in any other personal protective equipment. If you’re concerned about following OSHA standards, go with Tucker. You’ll go above and beyond protecting your employees from the costly and painful injuries possible in your kitchen.

About Dot Brantley

Dot Brantley is the Online Marketing Coordinator for Tundra Restaurant Supply. Having dabbled in pastry arts, restaurant management, and events coordinating, she brings a unique mix of industry knowledge to the table. Beyond her day job, she loves live music, adventuring in the Rockies, and overall enjoying the newfound glory of having weekends off.

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