How to Choose the Right Hand Protection

Accidents shouldn’t happen. Efficient workplace hand protection concerns anyone and everyone, and it’s a good thing standards, technology, and engineering involved in glove manufacturing improve constantly.

The risks individuals face at work are still serious but improvements in PPE technology do have a positive impact in the workplace, and give workers more effective protection against hazards. Hand injuries often happen as a result of either not wearing hand protection or wearing the wrong glove for the application.

Between technological advances and standards (ANSI or EN), how can you know if your glove is optimized for your work?

Emerging technologies and new materials increase glove abilities to protect. With so many new options on the market, it’s hard to find the right glove to fit the job.

If you work in an environment where your hands are at risk of cut or even chemical exposure, you’ll find gloves specifically designed to protect against each hazard and even gloves intended to offer multiple risks protection.

But still, appearances can be deceiving. When selecting your next hand protection, you need the correct information in hand. A pair of gloves may appear robust and durable, but that doesn’t mean it will protect your hand against cuts. The ANSI standard (ANSI/ISEA 105-2016) can help select the appropriate hand protection that has been tested for the right task.

The ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 standard classifies each glove according to their performance properties:

1. Mechanical protection: cut resistance, puncture resistance, and abrasion resistance.
2. Chemical protection: permeation resistance, degradation.
3. Other characteristics: ignition resistance and vibration reductions.

Every glove is evaluated through specific testing methods and is classified, based upon its performance, on a level range specific to the category being tested. This assessment facilitates the selection of appropriate hand protection for consumers who need protection against a known hazard in the workplace.

Have all the tools you need to make the right choice!

In collaboration with Bob Dale Gloves and Imports Ltd. (BDG), our White Paper "Understanding the ANSI Standard for Hand Protection" outlines what you need to know to help you make an informed decision about your hand protection. Download our FREE guide on the ANSI standard here!

BDG CUT-X™ By Bob Dale Gloves (BDG)^®

The BDG CUT-X^TM gloves offer an excellent combination of comfort and durable, heavy-duty protection. They combine multiple hazard resistance while providing flexibility and dexterity. Their wide range of characteristics gives you the level of protection you need and more!