Protective Gloves
With its extensive experience in the field of occupational hazards, SPERIAN PROTECTION designs and manufactures all its gloves (mechanical, cut-resistant, chemical, thermal, electrical, etc.) with the aim of guaranteeing comfort, safety, and complete adaptability in the workplace. Protective gloves (also commonly called work gloves) are personal protective equipment.
The term “protective glove,” which is subject to legal regulation and standardization and provides protection against hazards, contrasts with the colloquial term “work glove,” which is not intended to protect against hazards and is used, for example, to prevent skin contamination during gardening.
Protective gloves are differentiated by their shape and the required gripping properties:
- Mitten gloves for rough work
- Three-fingered gloves for rough work requiring the dexterity of certain fingers
- Five-fingered gloves for work requiring the dexterity of all fingers
- PVC gloves for protection against infections
- Leather/textile combination gloves for protection against mechanical hazards
- Firefighter gloves
Protective gloves offer protection to the hand (and, in the case of gloves with cuffs, also to the forearm) against:
- Mechanical hazards (puncture, cut, impact, abrasion, vibration)
- Thermal hazards (heat, cold, welding splashes)
- Radiation hazards (UV radiation, heat radiation, laser radiation, ionizing radiation)
- Chemical hazards (burns, irritation, poisoning)
- Biological hazards (infections)
- Electrical hazards (when working with live electrical equipment)
When using protective gloves against chemical hazards, it is important to note that many chemicals are not permanently retained by the glove but gradually penetrate it.
In the worst-case scenario, the glove material is not only penetrated but destroyed. How quickly this happens depends on the combination of the glove material and the chemical being used.
Manufacturers of protective gloves provide corresponding selection charts.
Labeling
Protective gloves, like other personal protective equipment, are classified into three categories according to the European Directive on Personal Protective Equipment (89/686/EEC). Category 1 gloves are for use in low-risk situations. This category includes simple gloves such as gardening or dishwashing gloves.
Category 2 protective gloves are used in situations with medium risks that can cause reparable damage. Category 3 gloves, which are more complex in design, are used when handling chemicals, radiation, heat above 100 °C, and cold below –50 °C. In these cases, it is assumed that any damage occurring without protective gloves would be irreversible or fatal. Category 3 protective gloves, in addition to the type examination already required for Category 2 products, must undergo a quality inspection by an independent testing institute at least once a year.
Besides the requirement to include instructions for use (which must be written in German in German-speaking countries), protective gloves must have clearly defined markings depending on their category. These markings allow for the identification of categories 1 to 3.
Protective gloves for use in the European Union, with the exception of gloves intended to protect against superficial mechanical injuries and reversible chemical effects, are subject to type examination requirements unless they are manufactured entirely in accordance with an applicable individual standard.
The gloves are often marked with a size indication. These numerical measurements are based on the circumference of the hand at the knuckles, excluding the thumb. The size indications correspond to standard glove sizes.
The selection of suitable protective gloves must be based on a risk assessment that identifies the hazards against which they must protect and the corresponding category. Other important criteria include tactile sensitivity, grip, and cleanability.
Specialized gloves are already available for numerous applications, such as:
- Examination gloves and surgical gloves for medical purposes
- Butcher’s gloves made of metal chain links
- Firefighting gloves
- Welding gloves
If hands are exposed to potential hazards during work, employers in Germany must provide employees with suitable protective gloves in sufficient numbers and individual sizes. Employees are obligated to wear the provided work gloves while working.
Laws and Standards
In the European Region, personal protective equipment is regulated by the PPE Directive (Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to personal protective equipment) (89/686/EEC and amendments, most recently amended by Directive 96/58/EC).
The requirements for protective gloves used in the EU are defined in the following standards:
- EN 420 – General requirements for gloves
- EN 374 – Protective gloves against chemicals and microorganisms
- EN 381-4 – Protective gloves for users of hand-held chainsaws
- EN 388 – Protective gloves against mechanical risks
- EN 407 – Protective gloves against thermal risks
- EN 421 – Protective gloves against ionizing radiation, including contamination and irradiation
- EN 455 – Disposable medical protective gloves
- EN 511 – Protective gloves against cold
- EN 659 – Firefighter protective gloves
- EN 1082 – Protective gloves for handling hand knives
- EN 10819 – Protective gloves against vibration
- EN 60903 – Insulating gloves for working with live electrical equipment
In preparation: Welding gloves
Materials
Depending on the intended use, various materials are used for protective gloves, often in combination:
- Plastics (nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, neoprene, chloroprene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl alcohol). Plastics are also frequently used as a coating for textile gloves.
Gloves made entirely of plastic are impermeable to moisture; therefore, they tend to become damp from perspiration, which can lead to skin damage with prolonged use. - Textiles (for protection against thermal hazards, cuts (e.g., Kevlar), as lining or inner gloves to reduce perspiration, or for the back and cuffs of gloves against mechanical hazards)
- Natural rubber (latex), often replaced by plastics due to its allergenic properties
- Leather (primarily for protection against mechanical hazards and during welding)
- Metals (chainmail gloves for meat processing; aluminum coating on heat-resistant gloves; lead for protection against ionizing radiation)
- Mineral and glass fibers in heat-resistant gloves for high temperatures; asbestos was also used in the past
The European glove standards EN 388 (protective gloves against mechanical risks) and EN 407 (protective gloves against thermal risks) classify protective gloves into performance levels (PL) based on the required level of various criteria – usually performance classes 1 to 4.
Examples of the requirements:
- Abrasion resistance
- Cut resistance (performance classes 1 to 5)
- Tear resistance
- Puncture resistance
- Flammability
- Contact heat resistance
- Dexterity