The most important thing when it comes to safety gloves, is selecting a glove that is actually designed to protect you from the hazards you’re faced with.
There are four main, common categories that require protection from safety gloves.
- Cuts, Punctures & Abrasions: Most industries have the need to protect against this type of hazard. There are safety gloves that are rated with cut resistance, ranging from very low resistance to heavy duty resistance. Note, no glove is cut PROOF, only resistant. Cotton and fabric gloves can withstand low levels of cut hazards but a more engineered material, like Kevlar, should be used for environments with greater cut hazards.
- Chemicals: If you use chemicals on a regular basis, you need to have proper glove protection against injuries and cross-contamination. Usually these gloves are made out of a coated fabric, rubber, or plastic.
- Impact Injuries: If you use tools like hammers or are regularly moving heavy object, you’ll want to look for impact resistant gloves. These type of safety gloves help to minimize the impact taken on by your actual hand, they help to soften the blow and disperse the impact away from your hand.
- Temperature Hazards: If you’re working in an environment where you’re exposed to heat (like welding or natural gas industries) or extreme temperatures (like cold-storage facilities) you’ll want to find safety gloves that resist against high temperatures and insulate your hands from extreme cold temperatures. Leather gloves are actually excellent for resisting high temperatures and are often used in the welding industry.