Page 20 - OHS, February/March 2025

P P E : H A N D P R O T E C T I O N
The Science Behind Safety Gloves: 5 Factors That Make or Break
Hand Protection
Th e right safety gloves can mean the diff erence between safety and costly risks. Th ese fi ve
critical factors will help you make the best choice for protecting your workforce.
BY PATRICK ICASAS
they’re adequately protected. Th e cheapest, low-cost option may
Issuing safety gloves to your team doesn’t automatically mean that
not be durable or tough enough to stand up to the rigors of the
task. By the same token, splurging on premium gloves can be
wasteful — or even risky — if they’re not used for specifi c hazards.
Th ere’s a process to selecting safety gloves. You must carefully
balance multiple factors to fi nd the most practical option for your
employees, your company, and your hand safety program.
No. 1: Task-appropriate protection
Th e wrong glove for the job leaves workers exposed.
As a company, we’ve encountered many situations where a safe-
ty manager buys one universal set of gloves for all employees. Th is
can only work if everyone is doing the same task or faces similar
hazards. A one-size-fi ts-all approach almost never works for hand
protection. Some safety managers opt for a single glove style for
every employee, assuming it covers all hazards.
It doesn’t.
Instead, safety managers should conduct separate risk assess-
ments for every task, noting the types of hazards involved and the
level of danger — then fi nd a glove with that provides the level of
cut, impact, or abrasion resistance necessary to handle the threat.
Th ose gloves will then be used exclusively by those workers and
not issued to anyone else.
No. 2: Comfort
Uncomfortable PPE is oft en left unused — and that puts workers
at risk.
Comfort is one of the biggest and most underestimated factors
when it comes to selecting hand protection. Working a full shift in
ill-fi tting gloves can be incredibly frustrating for the wearer and is
dangerous. Th ere are documented cases of workers taking off their
bad gloves and getting injured as a result.
Gloves that fi t and are breathable (to prevent swamp hands)
are less distracting to workers, which means that they can focus
more on their task and not their discomfort. A proper glove safety
program should off er gloves in a range of sizes to accommodate
diff erent body types.
No. 3: Dexterity
Bulky gloves slow workers down — and speed up accidents.
Safety gloves are built to protect workers, but not at the expense
of productivity. Th ey should off er enough fi nger dexterity, tactile
sensation/touch sensitivity, and range of motion for workers to
perform tasks. In fact, clunky gloves can pose a danger of their
own and lead to accidents.
When reviewing a glove for purchase, give a sample pair or two
bulentbaris/stock.adobe.com
to the workers who’ll be using them. Let them test the glove over
the course a few shift s and ask their opinion on its fi t and function.
Th at’s the best way you can ensure you’re getting the right pair.
No. 4: Durability
Short-lived gloves lead to long-term problems.
How long should a safety glove last? Th at partially depends on
the application. Some tasks, like handling steel I-beams, rip up
gloves in a matter of hours, while gloves used for lighter tasks can
last months at a time.
Th at said, some gloves can be tougher than others. Select gloves
designed for long-lasting durability in demanding tasks. Not only
will your glove program save on replacement costs, but you’ll also
reduce waste and increase worker productivity (since they won’t
have to change gloves as oft en).
No. 5: Cost
Low-cost gloves usually come with a high price.
Th e budget is an inescapable part of any safety program, and
you’ll want to pick gloves that off er the biggest value for money.
But “value” isn’t just limited to sticker price. “Value” also relates
to potential gains in productivity (glove function and comfort), the
confi dence and morale of workers (from having gloves with the right
protection levels), and long-term savings (from glove durability).
Sticker price is important, but not at the expense of the value
the glove should bring to your operations. When possible, safety,
comfort, and practicality should take precedence over cost.
Remember, a single safety incident can cost more than your en-
tire annual glove program.
If I can leave you with one thing, it’s this: Your team deserves
the best — and the best is closer than you think.
Patrick Icasas is the Content Strategist for Mechanix Wear. Prior to
working at Mechanix Wear, he wrote for various SaaS, telecom and
manufacturing corporations.
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