Protective gloves are a basic among the protective elements necessary for workers to carry out their tasks as safely as possible. However, there are many companies that are not entirely clear about which protective gloves they should choose for their employees.

In today's article we will review the types of safety gloves that we can find and the main characteristics of each one. Let's start!

What are protective gloves?

Safety gloves are special personal protective gloves used to protect and cover the hands completely or partially. A safety glove is part of the employees' personal protective equipment (PPE).

Each job requires a type of glove depending on the tasks, risks and protection needs of the employees.

Why use safety gloves?

A high percentage of workplace accidents affect the hands of workers. The dangers that employees face when we talk about hands can be:

mechanical risks

Mechanical risks

snags, cuts, scratches, perforations...

thermal accidents

Thermal accidents

extreme cold, burns, abrasions...

exposure chemicals

Exposure to hazardous chemicals.

electrical accidents

electrical accidents

electric shocks, short circuits...

Classification of industrial safety gloves

We can classify work gloves taking into account two factors: the type of material used for their manufacture and the type of protection they offer.

Safety gloves depending on the manufacturing material

Nitrite is a synthetic material with high resistance to puncture and certain aggressive chemicals. Inside the nitrite gloves we find:

  • Nitrite gloves that do not include textile support, used in the food and healthcare sector. This type is disposable.
  • Nitrite gloves with textile support, used in the industrial, agricultural and construction sectors.

Latex gloves adapt perfectly to the hands, facilitating work, ergonomics and mobility. For this reason, they are widely used in the healthcare sector, although they are also used in food industries and the industrial sector. Latex gloves are also classified as disposable and reusable.

This material has great resistance to tears, abrasion and cuts, so polyurethane gloves are ideal for parts handling, assembly and use of machinery that require mechanical protection of the hands.

They are the most versatile. They are made with a combination of leather, split leather and cotton and are ideal for use in work environments with low temperatures, for loading and unloading, in gardening and many other extensions.

Safety gloves according to the type of protection they offer

These gloves are used in work environments with low temperatures or to move and handle loads at very low temperatures. Within protection gloves against the cold we find three categories of protection:

Protective gloves for welding, also known as mechanical protection gloves, protect hands from the mechanical and thermal risks inherent to welding work. They are usually made of leather.

They are usually made of latex and protect against electric shock. Within dielectric gloves we distinguish the following classification:

Class 00 – Gloves with electrical protection up to 500v.

Class 0 – Gloves with electrical protection up to 1000v.

Class 1 – Gloves with electrical protection up to 7500v.

Class 2 – Gloves with electrical protection up to 17000v.

Class 3 – Gloves with electrical protection up to 26500v.

Class 4 – Gloves with electrical protection up to 36000v.

The use of safety gloves with protection against chemical risks is mandatory for all sectors that work with chemical substances.

They protect hands from any type of blade cut. The most common are mesh gloves.

These gloves provide total skin insulation against high temperatures. They protect against flames, heat, metal splashes and any other thermal element that can cause burns and be a risk to the safety of workers.

Now that you have a more complete view of the different types of protective gloves that exist, you can now choose the best type of safety glove to protect your workers.

At Impotusa you will find a wide range of protective gloves for all types of sectors and needs. If you have questions, our team of experts will advise you so that you can buy the most appropriate safety gloves for your business.

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