Safety gloves are synonymous with hand safety for every user. They are generally made from the finest materials to safeguard workers from serious cuts, puncture, contact heat, and abrasion.
And these hazards cannot be taken for granted. They can result in injuries that could lead to loss of hands and employment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US, hand injuries were the second most common workplace-related injury, after lower back injuries.
Brand manufacturers of this protection equipment have been continuously improving their product lines – using the latest technologies and understanding real-life situations not only to produce top-level cut, puncture and abrasion resistance gloves for a wide variety of hazards and applications but also making them to be comfortable enough that people will be more than happy to wear every day. Injuries to fingers and hands can be prevented if proper education and implementation of safety policies is in place. In fact, one of the major factors for injuries on the job is the workers’ refusal to wear their safety gloves. It’s either they are too heavy or uncomfortable as they prohibit handiness and movement.
Choosing the right pair of gloves is important that requires evaluation on the part of safety directors, safety managers, and safety specialists.
Different Gloves for Various Applications and Work Environments
Safety hand protection should never be treated as one size or one model fits all. There are different types of gloves made exclusively for various industries to ensure extra layers of protection for individuals, whether they are in a food and processing factory or in a construction work site. High-quality safety gloves these days have well-thought-out designs and made from high-quality materials so it is good to educate the workplace safety team about these features.
This article provides a brief overview on the type of glove for every application.
Chemical Resistant Gloves
Designed for: Protection against chemical risks in the workplace. They are ideal for people in oil rigs, mining, petroleum and manufacturing.
Dangers
• Chemicals
• Solvents
• Acids
• Lubricants
• Oils
Risks
• Severe cuts
• Lacerations
• Chemical burns
• Thermal burns
• Harmful temperature extremes
• Abrasions
Injuries
• Nervous system toxicity
• Reproductive damage
• Liver damage
• Kidney damage
• Dermatitis
• Respiratory impairment
• Cancer
Solutions
• Chemical gloves must be worn especially when the hands are exposed to these potential hazards.
• Safety professionals must select the suitable gloves based on their assessment of the environmental conditions, level of risks and duration of use
• Choose the suitable chemical gloves based on material, permeability, degradation, protective features such as coating, grip, puncture and abrasion resistance.
Suggested Gloves
If you are sourcing for chemical gloves, you may want to look at the Ansell Alphatec 58-535. It boasts of the revolutionary Ansell Grip Technology that comes from a nitrile layer filled with microscopic channel that has the ability to transfer oils and other lubricants away from the gripping surface. This allows users to have less grip and more control. The Ugly Mudder 7212 from HexArmor provides liquid-resistant barrier whilst providing hands with enhanced grip with its PVC-Nitrile coating. Best of all, it has been certified Level 4 in cut resistance by ANSI/ISEA standards.
Cut Resistant Gloves
Designed for: Industries such as construction, welding, metalworks, manufacturing, lumber and hardware
Cuts or punctures at the top were ranked the most common hand injuries, according to an industry survey amongst safety professionals in 2015. The lack of cut-resistant gloves has been the top reason why it remains as such. Injuries can be reduced significantly with the use of this type of glove product which is designed to offer excellent cut and abrasion resistance. It also offers protection against areas that are most exposed to friction, sharp objects and many others.
Dangers
• Metal wires
• Wood slivers
Risks
• Severe cuts
• Lacerations
• Puncture
Injuries
• Sprains
• Cuts
• Fractures
• Amputations
Solutions
• Cut resistant gloves must adhere to the strict guidelines – ANSI/ISEA for US standards and EN388 for EU standards – for glove testing
• Organisations must select the suitable gloves based on their full evaluation of the conditions in the work sites, what are the risk levels, and duration of use
• Choose the suitable cut resistant gloves based on material, permeability, degradation, protective features such grip, puncture and abrasion resistance.
Suggested Gloves
If you are looking for gloves made for protection against cuts and abrasions, then the HexArmor Helix 1092 is one you need. It is great for work sites where handheld pneumatic or electrical screwdrivers are widely used as well as handheld power tools, screw drivers and rivet drivers. It has a 15-gauge nylon blend shell to provide users with 360-degree cut protection. The Ansell Hyflex 11-435 is also one good product. It can handle sharp-edged objects, cutting of small dry or oiled parts, pre-assembling, maintenance and more. It offers dexterity and high-cut protection because it is made of water-based polyurethane.
Impact-Resistant Gloves
Designed for: Industries such as construction, manufacturing, mechanic, mining, petroleum automotive, and oil field
Impact injuries are all common and unavoidable. Impact protection gloves are designed to efficiently absorb and redistribute the energy away from the hand and finger bones during an impact. The latest gloves can reduce the force with up to 80%.
Dangers
• Heavy objects
Risks
• Impact
• Smashes
• Pinch points
Injuries
• Crushed hands
• Bruises
• Broken bones
• Fractured metacarpal
• Bruised finger
Solutions
• Choose one with excellent outer shell with raised sections of dense, rubbery material, and rigid thermoplastic rubber
• Product must cover back of hand and most of the time, the fingers
• They should improve hand movements enabling users to bend and flex
Suggested Gloves
If you are sourcing for this type of gloves, you may want to look at the Rig Lizard® series from HexArmor. The 7101, for example, delivers full back-of-hand protection against impact and crush. It is made of back-of-hand IR-X® Impact Exoskeleton and sandy nitrile palm dip for superior grip, abrasion and water resistance. The Chrome SLT 4071 from HexArmor’s Chrome SLT series delivers top-notch back-of-hand protection. It has a durable TP-X® palm providing wet and dry grip and abrasion resistance.
Specialty Gloves
Designed for: Specialty use such as food processing or handling, military and police operations
Often called multi-purpose gloves, they offer varying degrees of protection depending on the industry where they are used but can provide firm grip and dexterity to keep the hands safe on the job. They are meant for specific tasks thanks to professional-grade materials (like Kevlar). Here are potential reasons why you need specialty gloves:
Dangers
• Sharp items
• Heated objects
• Heavy objects
• Rope burn
Risks
• Forceful blows
• Contact heat
• Molten splash
• Cuts
• Abrasion
Injuries
• Hand fatigue
• Severe cuts
• Hand-arm vibration syndrome
Solutions
• Choose multi-purpose gloves that could offer enhanced grip, dexterity coupled with cut and high-abrasion resistance
Suggested Gloves
It is important to choose the right multi-purpose glove for your need. If you are in the food business, choose the one meant for handling food. The product however cannot be used for mission-critical applications such as rescue or military operations. The Tactical Gloves (119.2203) from Granberg is designed for high altitude work and fast-rope operations, security and law enforcement. It is made of Kevlar-lining in the palm to protect the hands of military or police personnel against heat and cuts. The Ansell Workguard is a heavy-duty special purpose glove for safeguard against molten splashes, making this suitable for welding and operating machinery.
Get the best hand protection today
A hazard assessment can be done in the work environment. In fact, this assessment starts with understanding what are the risks involved and what precautionary measures should be done to reduce them.
Are you looking for safety gloves that have the features you to keep your workers really safe? We can help. Please contact the nearest safety expert available in your country:
Singapore
Phone: +65 6748 9773
E-mail: sales@macrovista.com
Philippines
Phone: +632 633 9578
E-mail: sales@macrovista.com
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