Cut Protection Gloves February 05 2018

Safety gloves are one of the most important, yet habitually overlooked, tools in personal protective gear. All safety gloves are designed with a specific hazard in mind, therefore, wearing the correct safety gloves can be helpful in averting a variety of workplace injuries, such as serious cuts, punctures, burns, abrasion hazards, and much more.

Cut protection gloves or cut-resistant gloves provide your hands with reliable protection against workplace hazards, especially for those who work with dangerous blades, knives, metal parts and sharp objects. For this reason, they must meet a few design guidelines, including providing the highest level of cut resistance according to CE Standards EN388 Testing

  • They must be made from strong materials such as Dyneema or Kevlar, or from a combination of these and other cut-resistant materials
  • They should allow lubrication to allow a blade or knife to slide over the surface. Therefore, they should be woven in high-strength synthetic yarn such as Spectra or Dyneema
  • They should have a Nitrile palm coating which channels oil and liquids away from the surface of the gloves
  • They should be puncture resistant and provide a rolling action that prevents a blade from penetration
  • Resistant to tear and abrasion
  • They should also come in different materials and features to choose from for your specific needs

The first thing you must consider before buying cut resistance gloves is to determine the level of cut resistance you need according to the ASTM and EN388 rating systems. Once you have done this, you can proceed to choose the cut resistance glove style that suits your needs, of which there is palm coated gloves, leather gloves with cut resistance liner, metal mesh gloves, or string knit gloves.

You require palm coated cut protection gloves if you work in wet and oily conditions such as a mechanic or you work in conditions that expose you to sharp splinters or glass shards such as roofing, metal stamping, construction and general purpose. The palm coating is what provides a good barrier by offering better grip, dexterity, increased abrasion resistance, puncture resistance, and durability.

Nitrile coated gloves offer first-rate puncture and tear resistance, they perform well in a range of temperatures, and they can be designed using a Micropore technology that ensures that they absorb oil, while keeping it from penetrating to the hands.

Leather gloves with cut resistance liner are ideal for handling metal as the gloves are abrasion resistant and offer better grip when working with oily or rough surfaces. String knit gloves are great to have when handling metal stamping or while working with glass products. These gloves are made from lightweight material that provide a superior added protection while keeping your hands sweat-free.

Metal mesh cut protection gloves provide advanced cut and puncture resistance as they are composed of interlocked 100% stainless steel mesh. They are very durable and ideal for high-risk kitchen applications, meat or poultry factories, butcher shops, including other industries that utilize extremely sharp cutting tools.