How Many Types Of Safety Gloves Are There

By: Superior Glove, leading safety glove innovator

The sheer number of factors to consider when choosing safety work gloves can be a daunting task. This is where some basic knowledge on gloves can really come in handy.

Let’s start with the basics—categorizing the different types of safety gloves.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the different types of safety gloves, their defining characteristics, and how these characteristics influence glove performance.

Types of Safety Gloves

There are five main types of safety gloves:

  1. Leather
  2. String knit
  3. Mechanics
  4. Chemical
  5. Disposable

Each glove type offers different benefits and features. The table below provides a quick overview of the defining characteristics of each.

Most safety gloves are either leather or string knit, or a combination of the two (mechanics). Other gloves include chemical and disposable gloves.

Leather Gloves: Made with tanned hides of various animals, leather gloves are a popular choice for tasks that require abrasion, heat, and fire resistance. Liners can be sewn into leather gloves to offer protection from additional hazards.

Another advantage of using leather gloves is that this natural material softens over time, conforming to a hand’s shape. This adds to dexterity and comfort. But not all leather grains are created equal. The part of the animal’s body the hide comes from contributes to leather’s thickness, feel, dexterity, durability, and comfort.

Refer to more articles:  How To Choose Oz Boxing Gloves

String Knit Gloves: Thanks to engineered yarn,string knit gloves can offer protection from a variety of hazards. Engineered yarns incorporate the benefits of two or more fibers to make them an even stronger yarn. This also allows us to integrate higher levels of protection without compromising comfort or dexterity.

Another important factor to consider for knit gloves is the glove’s gauge. Glove gauge, which is actually the gauge of the yarn (i.e., string) used to make the glove, typically ranges from 7- to 21-gauge. Lower gauge gloves are thicker, offering more cushioning and durability, while higher gauge gloves are thinner and more dexterous but not as durable. No one gauge is better than the other—it all depends on the tasks and hazards they’re needed for.

Mechanics Gloves: Mechanics gloves are essentially different layers of materials (natural or synthetic) sewn together to make gloves. This construction method allows us to integrate zoned protection. What this means is that protection can be localized in areas of the gloves where hands are at high risk of injury.

Chemical Gloves: Designed to repel liquids and fluids, the outer shell of chemical gloves is fully coated to resist penetration and soak through of liquids as well as to resist chemical degradation. The best way to shop for these gloves is to identify the chemical you’re handling and match it to a glove material that resists that chemical. For this, you can ask an expert or consult your chemical SDS (safety data sheet).

Refer to more articles:  How Long Does Covid-19 Stay On Rubber Gloves

Disposable Gloves: Disposable gloves are primarily used in the food and health industry to prevent product contamination of bodily fluids, bacteria, etc. They are commonly made with Nitrile, and sometimes, latex (though latex poses a threat of allergic reactions).

Learn More

We’ve created a comprehensive guide called Glove 101 to teach you everything you need to know about safety gloves, so you can choose the best protection for your workers. Check out our Glove 101 guide here. (embed URL: https://go.superiorglove.com/l/886753/2022-04-04/jtq26)

Related Posts

How Big Is Yoenis Cespedes Glove

How Big Is Yoenis Cespedes Glove

Player Profile: Yoenis Cespedes Before I get started, I just want to say sorry for not having posted for the last few days. I was in Boston…

How To Buy Softball Glove

Younger players buying a new mitt should look for a softer mitt that they can squeeze and close. Most young players also should look for lightweight options…

How Much Are Old Baseball Gloves Worth

GUEST: They’ve come from different places over a number of years, but mostly flea markets- this one definitely a flea market- or a garage sale.You may be…

Do Caregivers Wear Gloves When Assisting With Showers

Do Caregivers Wear Gloves When Assisting With Showers

When helping a client take a bath or shower, watch out for muscle strains and sprains from lifting, transferring, and reaching. Precautions must be taken for possible…

How To Keep Golf Glove Dry

Hand washing tops my list when we think of dependable methods of cleaning our cherished golf gloves. It’s a gentle process that goes a long way in…

How To Get Gloves Dave The Diver

How To Get Gloves Dave The Diver

Dave the Diver has a large number of ingredients for you to collect in the ocean, but some of them, such as the Purple Sea Urchin, are…