108 Products
Your Current Vehicle
Or
Select Your Vehicle
Gloves are the final barrier after the task has been made safer
Engineering controls, suitable tools and safe handling keep hazards away from hands. Gloves reduce the remaining exposure but introduce limits in dexterity, grip, heat, chemical breakthrough and entanglement.
Selection begins with a task assessment, not colour, thickness or a generic “mechanic” label.
Glove families
| Glove type | Typical role | Useful property | Critical limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disposable nitrile | Short splash and contamination control. | Dexterity and visible single-use barrier. | Limited chemical time and low cut protection. |
| Chemical gauntlet | Immersion/splash with selected chemicals. | Long cuff and material-specific resistance. | Permeation varies by chemical and concentration. |
| Cut-resistant coated glove | Handling sheet metal and edged parts. | Tested blade-cut resistance with grip. | Not proof against powered blades or needles. |
| Leather/general work glove | Abrasion and rough dry handling. | Durability and moderate heat buffer. | Absorbs liquids and loses dexterity. |
| Heat-resistant glove | Handling parts within a stated temperature/time. | Thermal insulation. | Can conduct heat when wet or compressed. |
| Electrical insulating glove | Voltage-rated work within a trained system. | Certified dielectric barrier. | Strict class, inspection and overglove requirements. |
Hazard identification
List chemical name and concentration, temperature, sharpness, puncture shape, required force, duration, splash/immersion and machinery movement. Consider mixtures such as used oil containing fuel, soot and metal particles.
One task can require sequential gloves: chemical protection for cleaning, then cut protection for dry handling after decontamination.
Chemical permeation
No visible hole is needed for a chemical to pass through
Molecules diffuse through glove material after a breakthrough time that depends on chemical, concentration, temperature and thickness. Degradation may show swelling, softening or cracking but permeation can occur first.
Consult the glove maker's data for the exact substance and use conditions. Generic charts are a screening tool, not proof for an unknown mixture.
Disposable glove limits
Single-use nitrile gloves help keep oils and dirt from skin during short tasks. They tear on sharp threads, trap sweat and are not suitable for prolonged immersion or high heat.
Double-gloving can aid change control in some assessed work but does not automatically double breakthrough time.
Cut resistance
Test ratings compare material response under defined blade methods. Real parts have burrs, corners and moving forces. Higher resistance can reduce dexterity and still allow puncture through a weave.
Deburr parts, use lifting tools and control edges first. Never test a glove by drawing a blade across a worn hand.
Puncture and injection
Wire strands, needles, swarf and high-pressure fluid jets concentrate force into tiny areas. General cut gloves can offer little needle resistance. Hydraulic injection can penetrate gloves and skin without a large visible wound.
Use tools and guards, never a hand, to find pressure leaks or collect sharps. Injection injury requires urgent specialist medical assessment.
Grip and dexterity
Coatings and textures are designed for dry, oily or wet grip. An oversized glove folds at fingertips and catches; an undersized glove restricts movement and fatigues the hand.
Trial the actual fastener, control and tool while maintaining required protection. Change contaminated gloves when grip falls.
Thermal protection
Contact temperature, duration and material heat capacity all affect burns. A glove rated for brief contact cannot hold a heavy hot exhaust part indefinitely. Wet gloves transfer heat faster and steam can burn.
Let components cool, use lifting tools and confirm temperature where possible. Heat protection does not imply flame or molten-metal protection.
Electrical protection
Voltage-rated insulating gloves are selected by electrical class and work voltage and may use leather protectors. They are inspected and tested on a controlled schedule. Contamination, ozone cracks or pinholes invalidate protection.
They form part of isolation, proving-dead, PPE and rescue planning. Ordinary rubber, nitrile or coated workshop gloves are not substitutes.
Choose by evidence
Review safety data, workplace assessment and glove manufacturer's test/permeation information. Select the lowest dexterity burden that still addresses every relevant hazard, then define change time.
Check cuff length, size range, latex/allergy considerations, cleanliness and compatibility with sleeves or gauntlets.
Condition findings
| Finding | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Pinholes or cuts | Barrier breached. | Replace immediately. |
| Swelling or tackiness | Chemical degradation. | Remove safely and reassess material. |
| Hardened/cracked cuff | Age, ozone or chemical damage. | Retire reusable glove. |
| Worn coating exposing liner | Reduced grip/protection. | Replace before further work. |
| Wet/dirty interior | Skin exposure and hygiene risk. | Clean/dry if permitted or discard. |
| Missing rating/identity | Protection cannot be verified. | Do not use for rated hazard. |
Pre-use inspection
Examine palms, fingertips, between fingers, seams and cuffs. Flex reusable material to reveal cracks. Check the pair is the correct type and size, not two similar-looking unmatched gloves.
Follow air-inflation or water-leak tests only where the manufacturer specifies them; uncontrolled stretching can damage gloves.
Donning
Wash and thoroughly dry hands. Cover cuts with suitable dressings. Put on without pulling excessively at the cuff or touching a contaminated bench. Seat fingers fully.
Arrange sleeves and cuffs according to splash direction: a gauntlet may go under or over a sleeve depending on whether liquid runs down or is overhead.
Cross-contamination
Gloves protect the wearer only if contaminated exteriors do not spread material to steering wheels, phones, pens, door handles or food areas. Define clean and dirty zones and change gloves before leaving the task.
Do not wash oily hands while wearing disposable gloves and then continue; water can carry contamination through tears.
Doffing
Pinch the outside near one wrist, peel the first glove inward, hold it in the gloved hand and slide clean fingers under the second cuff to peel around both. Avoid snapping or aerosolising residue.
Use the workplace method for contaminated gauntlets and dispose of them by the substance's waste classification. Wash hands afterwards.
Entanglement hazards
Rotating drills, wheels, lathes, belts and fans can catch glove material and pull the hand in. Isolate motion before adjustment or swarf removal. The machine assessment may prohibit gloves during a specific operating phase.
Never trade a theoretical cut barrier for increased entanglement risk. Use guards, fixtures and tools.
Task controls
| Stage | Required decision | Failure prevented |
|---|---|---|
| Assess | Chemical, cut, heat, electrical and movement hazards listed. | Wrong single-hazard glove. |
| Select | Material/rating, size, cuff and change time defined. | Breakthrough and poor control. |
| Inspect | Barrier, seams, marking and cleanliness sound. | Using already failed PPE. |
| Prepare | Machinery isolated and clean/dirty zones ready. | Entanglement and spread. |
| Use | Exposure time controlled; grip and integrity monitored. | Overextended glove life. |
| Remove | Exterior contained without skin contact. | Exposure during doffing. |
| Close-out | Hands washed; gloves disposed/stored correctly. | Delayed contamination. |
Reusable glove care
Clean only by the product procedure with compatible agents, including the inside where permitted. Dry naturally away from direct heat, sunlight and ozone-producing equipment. Do not turn structured gloves inside out if it damages the liner.
Record first use, chemical exposure or inspections where service life depends on them. Retire at the defined limit even if appearance seems acceptable.
Skin health
Occlusion and sweat can irritate skin, while oils and solvents remove natural barriers. Use correct glove-change intervals, hand washing and suitable workplace skin-care arrangements. Do not clean skin with solvent.
Report persistent redness, cracking, itching or numbness through occupational-health procedures so exposure and glove material can be reviewed.
UK workplace context
Employers should assess hazards, provide suitable PPE where residual risk remains and ensure information, fit, maintenance and replacement. Product markings support selection but do not replace a task-specific assessment.
Workers need access to the correct range and training to change or stop when protection is uncertain.
Common mistakes
- Choosing gloves by colour or thickness instead of chemical data.
- Treating a cut rating as needle or crush protection.
- Using disposable nitrile for prolonged solvent immersion.
- Wearing loose gloves near rotating machinery.
- Handling phones and door handles with contaminated gloves.
- Washing and reusing single-use gloves.
- Assuming ordinary rubber gloves provide voltage protection.
- Keeping heat gloves in use after they become wet.
Practical hand-protection FAQs
Q: Is one workshop glove suitable for every task?
A: No; chemicals, cuts, heat and electricity need different evidence.
Q: Does a thicker glove resist every chemical longer?
A: Material compatibility and permeation data still govern.
Q: Can disposable nitrile gloves be washed?
A: Treat them as single-use unless the manufacturer explicitly says otherwise.
Q: Do cut gloves stop needles?
A: Not unless they carry suitable puncture/needle performance for the task.
Q: Should gloves be worn near rotating tools?
A: Follow the machine assessment; entanglement may make gloves unsafe.
Q: Are black nitrile gloves electrically insulating?
A: No; voltage work requires certified classed equipment and isolation.
Q: Why change a glove with no visible hole?
A: Chemical permeation can occur before visible damage.
Q: How should contaminated gloves be removed?
A: Peel the exterior inward without touching skin.
Q: Can wet heat gloves still protect?
A: Moisture can increase heat transfer and steam risk.
Q: Why is correct sizing important?
A: Fit affects grip, dexterity, fatigue and snagging.
Q: Can gloves replace hand tools for sharps?
A: No; use suitable pickup tools and containers.
Q: How are reusable gloves stored?
A: Clean, dry, protected from sunlight, heat and ozone.
Q: What confirms suitable selection?
A: Task hazards match verified material, rating, fit and exposure time.
