• Gloves of various types and materials are the most common type of hand protection.

There are many types of gloves available to protect against a wide variety of hazards. The nature of the hazard and the operation involved will affect glove selection. The variety of potential occupational hand injuries makes selecting the right pair of gloves challenging. It is essential that employees use gloves specifically designed for the hazards and tasks found in their workplace because gloves designed for one function may not protect against a different function even though they may appear to be an appropriate protective device.

Gloves made from a wide variety of materials are designed for many types of workplace hazards, especially those found in the construction industry. In general, gloves fall into four groups:

• Gloves made of leather, canvas, or metal mesh.
• Fabric and coated fabric gloves.
• Chemical- and liquid-resistant gloves.
• Insulating rubber gloves.

Leather, canvas, or metal mesh gloves

• Sturdy gloves made from metal mesh, leather or canvas provide protection against cuts and burns. Leather or canvas gloves also protect against sustained heat.
• Leather gloves protect against sparks, moderate heat, blows, chips, and rough objects.
• Aluminized gloves provide reflective and insulating protection against heat and require an insert made of synthetic materials to protect against heat and cold.
• Aramid fiber gloves protect against heat and cold, are cut- and abrasive-resistant, and wear well.
• Synthetic gloves of various materials offer protection against heat and cold, are cut- and abrasive-resistant, and may withstand some diluted acids. These materials do not stand up against alkalis and solvents.

Fabric and coated fabric gloves

• Fabric and coated fabric gloves are made of cotton or other fabric to provide varying degrees of protection.
• Fabric gloves protect against dirt, slivers, chafing, and abrasions. They do not provide sufficient protection for use with rough, sharp, or heavy materials. Adding a plastic coating will strengthen some fabric gloves.
• Coated fabric gloves are normally made from cotton flannel with napping on one side. By coating the un-napped side with plastic, fabric gloves are transformed into general-purpose hand protection offering slip-resistant qualities. These gloves are used for tasks ranging from handling bricks and wire to chemical laboratory containers. When selecting gloves to protect against chemical exposure hazards, always check with the manufacturer or review the manufacturer’s product literature to determine the glove’s effectiveness against specific workplace chemicals and conditions.

Chemical- and liquid-resistant gloves

• Chemical-resistant gloves are made with different kinds of rubber: natural, butyl, neoprene, nitrile, and fluorocarbon (viton); or various kinds of plastic: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol, and polyethylene. These materials can be blended or laminated for better performance. Generally, the thicker the glove material, the greater the chemical resistance but thick gloves may impair grip and dexterity, having a negative impact on safety.

Some examples of chemical-resistant gloves include:

• Butyl gloves are made of a synthetic rubber and protect against a wide variety of chemicals, such as peroxide, rocket fuels, highly corrosive acids (nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid and red-fuming nitric acid), strong bases, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and nitro-compounds. Butyl gloves also resist oxidation, ozone corrosion, and abrasion, and remain flexible at low temperatures. Butyl rubber does not perform well with aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated solvents.
• Natural (latex) rubber gloves are comfortable to wear, which makes them a popular general-purpose glove. They feature outstanding tensile strength, elasticity, and temperature resistance. In addition to resisting abrasions caused by grinding and polishing, these gloves protect workers’ hands from most water solutions of acids, alkalis, salts, and ketones. Latex gloves have caused allergic reactions in some individuals and may not be appropriate for all employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners, and powderless gloves are possible alternatives for workers who are allergic to latex gloves.
• Neoprene gloves are made of synthetic rubber and offer good pliability, finger dexterity, high density, and tear resistance. They protect against hydraulic fluids, gasoline, alcohols, organic acids, and alkalis. They generally have chemical and wear resistance properties superior to those made of natural rubber.
• Nitrile gloves are made of a copolymer and provide protection from chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. Although intended for jobs requiring dexterity and sensitivity, nitrile gloves stand up to heavy use even after prolonged exposure to substances that cause other gloves to deteriorate. They offer protection when working with oils, greases, acids, caustics, and alcohols but are generally not recommended for use with strong oxidizing agents, aromatic solvents, ketones, and acetates.