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Work Glove Guide

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The Importance of Work Gloves

Safety is a priority in many fields, and one way to ensure workplace safety is to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves. Work or safety gloves are designed to protect hands from exposure to irritants, extremely high or low temperatures and sharp objects.

Work gloves provide protection in many different work environments, from manufacturing to medicine. By selecting gloves according to their intended use, you can trust that they will serve you more efficiently while ensuring safety. Our work glove guide provides an overview of the different types of work gloves and their safety capabilities. 

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Why Are Work Gloves Important?

Because so many tasks we perform involve the hands, they are more susceptible to harm and need the proper protection. Hand and wrist injuries are among the most common injuries treated in emergency departments across the United States, and many of these are preventable. Considering that 70% of workers with hand injuries reported not wearing gloves, it’s clear that appropriate work gloves are critical in minimizing the risk of these injuries. 

Types of Work Gloves

There are various types of work safety gloves designed to protect against specific hazards. Often, these gloves serve more than one function, adding an element of convenience and comfort to their protective capabilities. Here are the various types of work gloves:

Also known as single-use gloves, disposable work gloves are thin, lightweight gloves for single applications. They are made from materials that offer excellent protection against contaminants and certain hazardous substances like oils and chemicals. They also ensure reduce the chances of contamination in environments that require sterility.

Disposable work gloves are common for professionals in health care, food service, cleaning and even auto mechanics. While disposable gloves are not designed to handle heavy manufacturing environments, they are reliable with chemical hazards and contamination.

Leather work gloves are heavy-duty gloves with excellent qualities like heat resistance, abrasion resistance and durability. They are made from high-quality tanned hides of various animals. Durable leather work gloves are suitable for mechanical operations, making them ideal for highly physical industries such as construction, mining, metal works and landscaping. Since leather varies depending on the animal skin used, there are differences in thickness, comfort and durability, which impact their use in various applications.

Dipped gloves are knitted work gloves made from robust materials like nitrile that improve their protective qualities. The toughest examples are cut-resistant gloves designed to meet high durability standards and reduce the risk of injuries involving sharp objects. They are made from high-strength materials that can withstand rough working conditions, safeguarding wearers from lacerations, punctures and abrasions. 

Dipped gloves have some of the highest American National Standards Institute (ANSI) cut ratings, making them suitable for various applications, from low-risk conditions to high-risk environments that demand superior protection.

Chemical-resistant gloves are long work gloves that cover the hands and arms. They are designed to protect the wearer against harmful chemicals and contaminants. These gloves come in various coatings, such as nitrile, vinyl and latex, which resist chemical reactions and penetration. Chemical-resistant gloves are suitable for applications where chemical burns, corrosion and contamination are a concern.

Mechanics work gloves are made from tough materials, ranging from leather and synthetic leather to velcro and other fabrics. They are usually lightweight and breathable, featuring thick materials designed to minimize wear, impact and abrasions. Using mechanic work gloves offers improved grip and performance, enabling ease of use with various work tools and products. These gloves have a wide range of material options and are suitable for multipurpose use.

String-knit work gloves incorporate multiple fiber technologies to create strong knitted gloves that match leather and dipped gloves in durability and resilience. They offer reliable mechanical protection without sacrificing low weight, flexibility and comfort. These gloves are fit for various mechanical applications and can protect against many hazards depending on the coating.

Weatherproof gloves are made from different material combinations to protect against harsh weather conditions such as freezing temperatures and moisture. They are multipurpose work gloves designed to keep your hands warm and dry. While you can work with weatherproof gloves, they are not specially made to handle the unique demands of work environments.

Work Glove Coating Materials

Work gloves often contain different materials and additives to enhance performance. These include a base yarn and additional materials such as fiberglass, steel and kevlar, which are especially ideal for gloves meant for mechanical protection. Other common materials blended into work gloves are palm coatings designed to improve grip and protect against various hazards. Here is an overview of work glove coating materials:

Nitrile Coating

Nitrile coatings are made from 100% synthetic rubber, which makes them three times more tear — and puncture-resistant than natural rubber alternatives. While nitrile is slightly less flexible, it can withstand harsh conditions involving chemicals, oils and varying temperatures. They are comfortable and have excellent grip even in smooth and slippery environments. 

The extreme durability of nitrile-coated gloves makes them a top choice for many. Nitrile applications include:

  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Laboratories
  • Hospitals
  • Food service and preparation
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Latex Coating

Latex is a dominant coating material for gloves. It’s known for the thin, highly elastic and tight-fit disposable gloves that are popular in food preparation and medical fields. However, the material is also excellent for palm-coating heavy-duty dipped gloves. Derived from natural rubber, its elasticity surpasses that of other coating materials, making it comfortable and flexible. 

Work gloves with latex palm coating are resistant to common chemicals and can withstand extreme temperatures. The combination of knitted fabric and latex also increases tear resistance, making these work gloves versatile. Latex palm-coated gloves are common in:

  • Automotive industry
  • Mechanical industry
  • Precision fields
  • Manufacturing
  • Electronics
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Polyurethane Coating

Polyurethane may not be a popular coating material for gloves, but its exceptional flexibility, grip and comfort level have increased its demand in many industries. The inherent qualities of polyurethane, such as breathability and durability, make it directly applicable without additional finishing processes. For polyurethane-coated gloves, the material provides excellent cut resistance against punctures, cuts and abrasions. 

PU palm coating is also ideal in wet and greasy conditions, providing excellent grip. While it’s not a good candidate for high-temperature situations, it has many advantages that make it suitable for specific applications, such as:

  • Automotive and aerospace industries
  • Construction
  • Warehousing
  • Sports
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ANSI Cut Ratings for Work Gloves

The American National Standards Institute sets the industry standards for glove safety and cut resistance. For applications that involve metal cutting, OSHA recommends a cut of 5 and above to ensure adequate safety. At Glove America, we offer work gloves with ANSI cut-resistant glove ratings of 1, 4 and 5. 

Here’s a guide to the complete ANSI cut ratings with their cut resistance levels depicted in grams:

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Get Top-Quality Work Gloves From Glove America

Work gloves vary based on their intended use, and the best of them offer safety and convenience according to their application. Options range from disposable ones to those that will serve you long-term. Palm coating materials like nitrile, latex and polyurethane boast ANSI glove ratings of 1, 4 and 5, with gauges and comfort levels to suit multiple industries and applications.

If you need work gloves, you can rely on Glove America, an industry leader offering the highest quality gloves at competitive prices. Browse our glove selection and order through the website. Contact us online or dial 1.800.476.9657 for more information!

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