The Right Winter Glove for Cold and Wet Applications

Wearing the wrong glove in cold, harsh environments can have severe consequences.

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• By Mary Padron
• Dec 01, 2022

People who work in cold and wet conditions must endure extra hardships, especially when compared to indoor office workers. During the winter, outdoor workers are challenged by air temperature, wind speed, snow, sleet, rain and ice.

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Just think about utility workers and linemen working through grueling ice storms and other inclement weather to restore the power grid. Or what about truckers, first responders and snow plough drivers who battle harsh weather conditions to bring food and water to us, to protect us and to clear our roads?

Outdoor workers go out on a limb for us during the winter. Safety pros should provide quality PPE to keep workers warm and dry, especially when it comes to selecting high-performance winter work gloves.

Wearing the wrong glove in cold and harsh environments is often dangerous and can hinder productivity and job satisfaction. In extreme conditions, hypothermia or frostbite can harm fingers and hands within minutes.

This article explores several questions and factors to help safety pros match the winter glove to the cold weather application. It also includes information on the EN 511 performance rating that tests how well a winter glove will stand up to the cold and to water. Knowing more about this standard will lead to more informed glove choices.

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Seven Questions to Ponder

Here are seven key questions that every safety professional needs to think about before specifying winter gloves.

Your answers will help point the way to the proper glove.

1. What are the typical cold-weather temperatures that your crew is routinely exposed to? Are they average-cool temperatures or are they bone-chilling temperatures? Don’t forget to consider wind chill. Understanding typical temperature ranges and wind chill will help determine the weight of the glove’s insulation.
2. Is rain or snow common? Or does the job require that workers use their hands in water, ice, refrigeration or other slushy and wet conditions? If “yes,” waterproof winter gloves are needed.
3. What is the activity level of the worker? Less activity means more insulation, whereas higher activity levels need less insulation.
4. Does the glove fit the workers hands? Proper fit is paramount, especially if the glove is worn for extended hours. Before purchasing a glove, secure some samples from your PPE supplier and encourage your workers to try on the gloves. This encourages worker buy-in. Make sure the glove is offered in a full range of sizes so you can properly outfit your crew.
5. Will the worker need to pick up small parts or components? If so, the glove needs to be engineered with a high-gauge fiber. Remember, the higher the glove gauge, the better the dexterity.
6. What other features are needed for your application? Do you need heavy-duty palms that resist ripping or tearing? Nail guards? High visibility to keep worker hands visible in dark and low light conditions?
7. In addition to cold stress, what other occupational hazards are present? Does the worker need protection from cuts or abrasion? FR protection? Impact resistance? Is a firm grip required to prevent dropped objects? If multiple hazards are present, you will need to choose a winter glove that meets these criteria too.

This article originally appeared in the December 1, 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

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