Page 34 - Occupational Health & Safety, November 2018

HAND PROTECTION
A New Innovation in Glove Coatings
BY M.B. SUTHERLAND
What’s new in coated work gloves? For a long time, the answer to that question has been, not much! There have been many innovations in the work gloves themselves, including far higher cut levels and core- less technology that makes hand protection lighter and less irritating. But the coatings we use to increase grip as well as abrasion and liquid resistance have re- mained pretty consistent.
Traditional Glove Coatings
Coated gloves are made by taking a machine-knit base glove and dipping it into the desired coating. Dipping ranges from a partial dip that covers the palm and fronts of the fingers, to a 3⁄4 dip, to a fully dipped glove. Most coated gloves are single dipped, meaning they’re dipped only once. Some are double-dipped, meaning the glove is dipped, allowed to dry, and then dipped again to provide a thicker coating.
For years, your choices in glove coatings have been polyurethane, nitrile, sandy nitrile, foam ni- trile, or latex. And each of these comes with benefits and drawbacks.
Polyurethane
Benefits: The lightest, softest, and most flexible of the coating choices, polyurethane offers the best dexterity and tactile sensitivity—making it a popular choice for comfort and grip. Ideal for dry grip and ease of handling small parts, it’s also good in lighter oil conditions.
Drawbacks: This lighter coating tends to have less abrasion resistance than some others and can lose ef- fective grip in heavy oil applications.
Nitrile
Benefits: Nitrile creates a tough coating that pro- vides excellent abrasion and puncture resistance that stands up well to oil.
Drawbacks: A tough coating makes for less dexter- ity and tactile sensitivity, so it’s harder to do jobs that
require handling small parts.
Sandy Nitrile
Benefits: The sandy texture creates a non-slip grip that’s good for heavy oils and liquids. Perfect for abra- sion, puncture, cut, and snag resistance, this is a com- mon choice for the oil and gas and heavy metal stamp- ing industries.
Drawbacks: Just like plain nitrile, sandy nitrile will cost you in dexterity and tactile sensitivity.
Foam Nitrile
Benefits: Nitrile foam absorbs liquid and draws oil and liquid away from the glove surface, making it easier to grip. This coating also has excellent abrasion, puncture, and snag resistance.
Drawbacks: The foamy texture tends to become saturated in heavy oil or liquid applications. While traditional wisdom says that foam nitrile gives the best grip for oily jobs, it depends on the type of oil and what workers are handling. Other choices may be better, depending on the task.
Latex
Benefits: Latex coatings provide the best overall dry grip of any coating.
Drawbacks: Some workers are allergic to latex, and it tends to degrade when exposed to oils or hydrocar- bon-based fluids, so it should be avoided for these ap- plications.
Double-Dips
Benefits: Double-dipping a glove in any coating provides extra durability, liquid protection, and abra- sion resistance.
Drawbacks: Doubling the coating generally means significantly less dexterity and tactile sensi- tivity and an overall heavier glove.
New Technology and New Innovations
The latest innovations in nitrile-based glove coatings have created a game-changing double-dip that takes the best of traditional palm coatings and rolls them into one unique glove treatment without sacrificing dexterity or tactile sensitivity.
Manufacturers begin by dipping a machine-knit, cut-resistant glove into a nitrile coating. This creates an inner layer that repels oil to keep hands dry. They finish with a second dip to create another nitrile- based outer layer that actually absorbs oil yet allows minimal seepage, to provide a secure grip in the oiliest conditions. So unlike foam nitriles that tend to absorb oil all the way to the hand, workers remain comfort- able and gloves don’t become saturated and heavy.
Brenda Campbell, safety expert at Magid, gave sample gloves with the new palm coating to a major commercial HVAC equipment manufacturer. Their
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