When you see gloves labeled “multi purpose” or “all purpose” do you ever wonder if the base for use is really as wide as they claim to be? In many industries, there are so many different tasks taking place, that sometimes it is nice to consolidate categories in to just a couple of gloves rather than a whole bunch. Keep reading to see what parameters you should stay within when trying to find a multi purpose glove to use across the board.
If you are looking to find one glove that can serve for something light like food prep and something more heavy duty like construction, it is not recommended that you choose just one glove for both of those tasks. When the tasks and their respective protective needs are too different from each other, it is best to choose separate gloves for each task so that you ensure you have the protection that you need.
However, if you have a group of tasks that have relatively similar levels of protection (cuts, impact, abrasion) needs, you can certainly pick one glove that will serve well for all of those tasks. Also consider the temperature where these various tasks take place. Employees working in a deep freezer would not want the same gloves as employees working outdoors in the 90 degree weather.
Since gloves come in a wide variety of materials, it is also important to take into consideration what features different materials offer and which ones are important for the tasks you’re choosing a glove for. A knitted glove will provide more cut resistance, while a nitrile glove would help maintain dexterity. Coatings are also important because they can add some more versatility with better grip and even touch screen capability.
When it comes to dexterity, some tasks very much require it, and some not so much. When choosing a multi purpose glove, gauge your dexterity level on the tasks that requires the most dexterity. It is easier to use that glove in a task that doesn’t require much dexterity rather than the other way around.
When you are able to consolidate into using one multi use glove it can significantly help reduce your costs. One glove as opposed to many will also help to streamline safety process and eliminate confusion for employees when they can just chose one glove.
