Jens, Mine Worker – On Glove Use, Skin Irritation, and Daily Wear

Jens Stålnacke, mine worker – started using DRYE liners 5 July 2022

Interviewed 13 September 2024

Jens has worked in the mines for most of his adult life. He started in May 2016 – and not long after, the issues with his hands began.

– Back then it was mostly red, irritated skin. Not open wounds like the photos you’ve seen now. But it kept getting worse.

Were you wearing gloves at that point?
– Yeah, the thick, heavy-duty rubber gloves. Waterproof. Standard issue.

It wasn’t until a year or two in that things escalated.

– That’s when the real problems started. Pain, open wounds, cracked skin. Around 2017, maybe 2018.

What did you try before?
– Cotton gloves. Different types, just to find something that fit well. I wore them underneath my regular gloves. Sometimes it got better, then worse again. Back and forth.

He also experimented with moisturizers.

– I’ve been sloppy with hand creams, to be honest. Tried different brands to find one that worked. Some made it worse. Some did nothing.

It wasn’t until he joined LKAB’s PSU group that he was introduced to something different: a glove liner designed not only to absorb moisture, but to move it away from the skin, and let it evaporate.

– That’s when I got to try your liners. I wear them underneath now. And yeah, I still moisturize – but just once a day now. Sometimes I even forget. My hands are… honestly, normal now.

Do you wash the liners?
– Yeah, I throw them in the company laundry. 60°C, sometimes too hot in the dryer. But they hold up. They come back looking like new.

What would you say to others who deal with the same issues?
– Stop buying cotton gloves. They fall apart, stink, get filthy. They don’t help. They’re just a temporary barrier. Your liners actually make a difference – and I’ve got my own hands to prove it.

We’ve worked on this for seven years. That was always the goal.
– Well, you’ve succeeded. Moisture is a huge issue where I work. Whether we’re washing equipment or standing underground, it just stays there. Eventually it goes away – but it takes time. And your liners help bridge that gap.

See the full interview in Swedish, with English subtitles, here.

Further Reading and References 

NCBI - Causes of Hand Eczema

ScienceDirect - Irritants and Allergens

OH&S - The Real Cost of Sweaty Gloves

Eagle Protect - Skin Disease and Hand Injuries from Disposable Gloves

Acta Dermato-Venereologica - Contact Dermatitis from Nitrile

HSE - Dermatitis Prevention

Pierrefabre Eczema Foundation - Eczema at Work

OH&S - The Invisible Threat Under Gloves

Chemical Engineering - Problems with Single-Use Gloves

ISHN - Sweaty Gloves and Health Issues