How To Choose The Right Work Gloves - A Buyer's Guide - Droppe

When it comes to work gloves, choosing the right pair is essential for ensuring safety, enhancing grip, and supporting efficiency on the job. Whether you’re working in construction, manufacturing, or warehousing, this guide will address your specific needs, from understanding materials like leather and nitrile to identifying industry-relevant certifications such as EN 388. By the end, you’ll have the expertise to select gloves tailored to your tasks, ensuring both immediate safety and long-term confidence in your choices.

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Key Factors to Consider When Buying Work Gloves

1. Intended Use

Different tasks require different types of protection. For instance:

• Construction workers may need gloves with enhanced durability and impact resistance.
• Manufacturing jobs often require cut-resistant gloves to protect against sharp tools.
• Warehousing and logistics roles benefit from gloves that improve grip and flexibility.

2. Material

The material of the gloves plays a significant role in their performance. Here’s a chart to understand it more:

For those needing premium leather options, refer to Selecting The Best Leather Work Gloves: A Practical Guide.

3. Fit and Comfort

Ill-fitting gloves can cause discomfort and hinder your performance. Always measure your hand size and refer to a reliable Glove Size Guide to ensure the perfect fit.

Types of Work Gloves and Their Applications

1. General-Purpose Work Gloves

Designed for a variety of tasks, these gloves prioritize comfort and dexterity. They’re ideal for tasks like moving boxes or light maintenance work.

2. Cut-Resistant Gloves

Perfect for jobs involving sharp tools or materials, these gloves offer varying levels of cut protection. Look for gloves that meet European safety standard like  EN 388, which provides ratings for cut, abrasion, tear, and puncture resistance. Additionally, certifications like ANSI/ISEA 105 can help you identify gloves with appropriate cut resistance levels. To learn more about cut-resistant gloves, read our extensive guide on How to choose the right cut resistant gloves.

Here’s a table to understand the certifications and standards.

How to Interpret the Ratings:

EN 388 Example:

A glove with the rating 4X42F means:

• 4 (Abrasion Resistance): Highest resistance to abrasion.
• X (Cut Resistance – Couptest): Test not conducted or result unreliable.
• 4 (Tear Resistance): High tear resistance.
• 2 (Puncture Resistance): Moderate puncture protection.
• F (Cut Resistance – TDM Test): Meets highest level of cut resistance.

ANSI/ISEA Example:

A glove with the rating A6 for cut resistance means:

• It can withstand 3,000-3,999 grams of pressure before being cut through, suitable for high-risk tasks like metalworking.

3. Impact-Resistant Gloves

Impact-resistant gloves shield hands from heavy tools or falling objects. Look for durable materials like TPR, knuckle padding, anti-slip grip, a snug fit, and ANSI/ISEA 138 compliance. Check out How to Choose The Right Impact-Resistant Gloves.    

4. Anti-Vibration Gloves

Workers operating vibrating machinery like drills or jackhammers can benefit from gloves designed to reduce vibrations, minimizing fatigue and injury. Learn more in How To Choose The Right Anti-Vibration Gloves.

Industries That Commonly Use Work Gloves

1. Construction

Heavy-duty gloves with impact resistance and cut protection are highly beneficial for construction workers. Tasks such as operating jackhammers, handling bricks, or cutting rebar all require specialized gloves for safety and efficiency. Gloves made by suppliers like Portwest and Showa are popular in this field.

2. Manufacturing

Precision tasks, such as assembling small components or working with sharp machinery, often require nitrile-coated gloves or cut-resistant gloves. Suppliers such as Ejendals specialize in high-quality options for industrial environments.

3. Warehousing and Logistics

Flexible and breathable gloves that enhance grip are ideal for tasks like handling boxes, loading trucks, and operating forklifts. Brands like Traffi offer excellent options for these roles.

Tips for Prolonging the Life of Your Work Gloves

1. Clean Regularly: Depending on the material, you can either wash them by hand or machine. Check the care instructions.
2. Store Properly: Keep your gloves in a dry, cool place to prevent material degradation.
3. Inspect for Damage: Regularly check for signs of wear and tear to ensure optimal performance.

Top Suppliers for Work Gloves in Europe

When sourcing work gloves, choosing reputable suppliers ensures quality and reliability. Here are some of the top names:

• Portwest: Known for versatile and durable gloves for all industries.
• Ejendals: Specializes in protective gear with a focus on precision.
• Showa: Offers innovative designs for maximum protection and comfort.

Related Product Categories

In addition to work gloves, you may also need related safety gear. Explore these options:

• Cut Resistant Gloves: Essential for high-risk jobs involving sharp tools.
• Safety Shoes: Protect your feet in hazardous environments.
• Work Jackets: Stay warm and safe on the job site.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has been helpful in navigating the essential factors for choosing the best work gloves, from identifying the right materials to understanding industry certifications. Whether you’re handling heavy tools in construction or ensuring precision in manufacturing tasks, we’re here to support your needs.

Explore the full range of Work Gloves on Droppe, where trusted brands like Portwest, Showa, and Ejendals are just a click away.

The company is the world’s best ppe safety gloves supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Have questions or need advice on finding the perfect gloves? Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re always here to help ensure your safety and confidence in every purchase.

– The Droppe Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Selecting the right PPE to sufficiently reduce exposure to hazards is essential to laboratory safety. The purpose of this section is to provide resources allowing researchers to identify and classify various types of PPE so the appropriate safety precautions are taken when conducting research.

For the purpose of this site, PPE will be classified into categories: eye and face protection, hand protection, body protection, respiratory protection, and hearing protection. Each category includes its own corresponding safety equipment that will be described below.

Eye and Face Protection

Eye protection is achieved by wearing eyewear specifically designed to reduce the risk of exposure to chemical splashes, laser radiation, and/or flying debris. There are four primary types of eye protection — of which each has its own limitations — including general safety glasses, laser safety glasses, chemical splash goggles and impact goggles. Full face protection is achieved by wearing face shields.

Type Use General safety glasses

• Must have side shields, or a one-piece lens that wraps around the temple.
• Are the minimum level of eye protection that must be worn in the laboratory.
• Are not effective in protecting the eyes from splashes, and are only recommended for use with solutions that are not likely to damage the eye, such as some buffers and salts.

Laser safety glasses

• Selection is based on the laser wavelength and power.
• Protective properties can be found printed on the eyewear.
• Are not as effective as laser safety goggles at filtering all light entering the eyes.
• EH&S does not provide laser safety glasses or goggles for use in the laboratory, but will assist in selecting the correct laser safety goggles or glasses for your application, which can be purchased by the PI as needed.

Chemical splash goggles

• Are recommended any time a splash of chemicals or infectious substances could reach the eyes.
• Can act as impact goggles to prevent flying debris from reaching the eyes.
• May be purchased from the campus bookstore or obtained from EH&S in accordance with LHAT recommendations.

Impact goggles

• Offer protection from flying debris only.
• Often have ventilation holes on the sides that render the user susceptible to chemical splashes and dust or small debris.
• EH&S does not offer impact goggles, but chemical splash goggles can often be used in substitution. Feel free to contact EH&S with any questions regarding this substitution.

Face shields

• Required when splashes from chemicals that can cause immediate skin damage are handled (e.g. working with concentrated acids, dispensing liquid nitrogen, sonicating tissue samples, etc.).
• Shall be worn in conjunction with chemical splash goggles. Respiratory protective equipment might be required, depending on the task; contact EH&S if you have any questions regarding face shield use.
• All new PIs receive two complimentary face shields from EH&S. Existing PIs received two face shields during the PPE distribution event. Additional and/or replacement face shields can be purchased by PIs.

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Hand Protection

Appropriate selection of gloves is essential to protecting hands. Chemically protective gloves are one of the most important tools to minimize dermal exposures to chemicals in research laboratories. Gloves should only be used under the specific conditions for which they are designed, as no glove is impervious to all chemicals.

It is also important to note that gloves degrade over time, so they should be replaced as necessary to ensure adequate protection. Laboratory personnel should use the information below, and manufacturer compatibility charts (found under useful resources in the above right menu), to choose the type and style of glove.

Type Use Light latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves

Disposable latex (powdered or unpowdered)

Working with biological hazards (human blood, body fluids, tissues, bloodborne pathogens, specimens), BSL1, BSL2, BSL2+, BSL3 Disposable nitrile (puncture and abrasion resistant, protection from splash hazards) Working with biological hazards and chemical splash hazards Disposable vinyl (economical, durable, similar to latex) Working with biological hazards, BSL1, BSL2, BSL2+, BSL3 Light chemical resistant gloves Natural rubber latex (chemical resistant, liquid-proof) Working with small volumes of corrosive liquids, organic solvents, flammable compounds Light to heavy chemical resistant gloves Nitrile (chemical resistant, good puncture, cut and abrasion resistance) Using apparatus under pressure, air or water-reactive chemicals Heavy chemical resistant gloves Butyl (high permeation resistance to most chemicals) Working with large volumes of organic solvents; small to large volumes of dangerous solvents, acutely toxic or hazardous materials Viton® II (high permeation resistance to most chemicals) Same as butyl gloves, plus hazardous material spills Silver shield (extra chemical and mechanical protection) Same as butyl and Viton® II gloves, added mechanical protection, hazardous material spills Insulated gloves Terrycloth autoclave (heat resistant) Working with hot liquids and equipment, open flames, water bath, oil bath Cryogen (water-resistant or waterproof, protection against ultra-cold temperatures) Handling cryogenic liquids Wire mesh gloves Wire mesh (cut resistant) Working with live animals and exposed to potential cuts ↑ Return to top of page

Body Protection

Lab coats are required for all wet labs. Cotton or cotton/poly blends are sufficient for labs without risk of fire. Nomex coats are required for work with pyrophorics, flammable liquids in quantities of more than 4 liters, or when work involves flammable liquids and an ignition source such as a burner. Barrier coats must be worn when working with infectious materials. Barrier coats can be autoclaved by placing the coats in a pan and placing an additional pan of water in the autoclave.

Type Use Traditional (cotton/cotton-polyester blend - protects skin and clothing from dirt, inks, non-hazardous chemicals) General use; chemical, biological, radiation, and physical hazards Flame resistant (e.g. Nomex or other flame-resistant cotton — resists ignition) Working with water or air reactive chemicals, large volumes of organic solvents, and potentially explosive chemicals Barrier (predominantly polyester — offers splash protection, not flame resistant) Working with infectious materials ↑ Return to top of page

Respiratory Protection

Program Procedures

Respiratory protective equipment is only used as a "last line of defense," and as a result, requires individual assessment and training by EH&S personnel. Proper fitting and use is key to respirator efficacy, so EH&S requires all individuals who believe one or more of their job tasks require respiratory protective equipment to contact EH&S. The following steps will be taken:

1. A workplace hazard assessment will be performed to determine if the task requires respiratory protective equipment.
   • If the task does not require respiratory equipment but the employee wishes to use such equipment, he or she must complete Appendix D of the Respiratory Protective Equipment Manual and return the bottom portion of the form to EH&S. This form provides information in accordance with OSHA Sec. .134 regarding voluntary use of respirators when not required under the standard.
2. If respiratory protective equipment is necessary, the employee will be given a medical evaluation questionnaire to fill out as well as a supplement to the medical questionnaire that outlines the findings of the hazard assessment conducted by EH&S. Both forms should be taken to a contract physician or licensed health care professional (PLHCP) who will perform a confidential medical evaluation to determine the employee's fitness to wear a respirator.
3. When the employee is approved to wear a respirator for the job task(s) outlined in the hazard assessment, the appropriate respirator will be selected and the employee will be fit-tested following CAL/OSHA's accepted fit-testing protocol. Fit-testing assures the selected respirator is worn correctly to allow proper performance.
4. During fit-testing, the employee receives training on the appropriate method(s) to store, handle and sanitize the respirator.
5. Once initial fitting and training are completed, the employee must enroll in and attend yearly training conducted by EH&S through the UC Learning Center. Employees will be authorized to register for the "Basic Respiratory Protection" course to fulfill the annual training requirement.

Type Use Surgical masks Protect against large droplets and splashes (does not require fit-testing) Working with live animals; working with infectious material in BSL-2+ level labs but only protects your sample from you, not the other way around. N-95 respirators Protects against dust, fumes, mists, microorganisms (requires fit-testing) Working with live animals or infectious materials in BSL-2 level labs with known airborne transmissible disease (e.g. tuberculosis, also required for influenza (flu)); dusty environments Half-mask respirators Purifies air: protects against a variety of particulates, vapors, dust, mists, fumes; depends on filter cartridge used (requires fit-testing) Working with live animals or infectious materials with known airborne transmissible disease; dusty environments; chemical vapors; particulates Full-face respirators Same as half-mask, with greater protection factor; eye, mucus membranes, and face protection; depends on filter cartridge used (requires fit-testing) Working with live animals or infectious materials with known airborne transmissible disease; dusty environments; chemical vapors; particulates Respirator cartridges For use in half-mask respirators and full-face respirators

• P-100: for dust only
• Organic Vapor (OV): for fumes of organic solvents only
• Acid Gas: vapors of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, etc

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Hearing Protection

All laboratory personnel shall contact EH&S to request noise monitoring in their laboratory settings to perform noise monitoring and advise on the specific use of hearing protectors.

Laboratory workers whose eight-hour time-weighted average noise exposure exceeds the 85 dBA Action Level will be enrolled in the UC Merced Hearing Conservation Program. These individuals will receive annual audiometric testing, will have hearing protectors made available to them by their supervisors, and will be provided training on the fitting, use and care of these devices.

Monitoring results for individuals whose noise exposure exceed the Action Level will also be notified in writing using Attachment B — Noise Monitoring — Dosimetry Results.

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