Wearing the wrong work gloves hinders the proper execution of the work. The result is that professionals sometimes choose not to wear gloves at all; bad idea! This means you run an unnecessary risk of damaging your hands. In this post we give a few tips for choosing the right work glove.
Tip 1. Choose the right industry
When choosing the right work gloves, in most cases you first start with the industry in which you work. We have made selections for common industries to make it easy for you. Of course, there are more things that are important when choosing work gloves but when it comes to choosing the right industry you are already well on your way.
Overview of industries when choosing work gloves:
- Agricultural sector
- Assembly
- Automotive
- Build
- Glass industry
- Civil, road and hydraulic engineering
- Installation technology
- Offshore industry
- Steel industry
- Scaffolding
- Transport & logistics
- Food industry
Tip 2. Choose the right conditions
When choosing the right work gloves it is important that their functions match the conditions in which you work on a daily basis. So buy gloves that are suitable for your workplace and the associated conditions.
Some common circumstances that you should take into account when making your choice are:
- Do you work under dry or humid conditions?
- Do you work in cold or warm conditions?
- Do you come into contact with oil and/or fat a lot?
It will probably be clear to you that in wet or humid conditions you will have to choose waterproof work gloves to keep your hands dry while working. When you work in cold conditions or in winter time you choose cold-resistant or winter work gloves. These are indispensable in winter or when you work in cold rooms and freezers. On hot summer days or warm workplaces you choose work gloves for warm conditions. When you work in a place where you have to deal with a lot of oil or greasy conditions you choose work gloves that are suitable for oil and grease.
Tip 3. Choose the right activities
Work gloves must of course match the work you perform. If this is not the case you can damage your hands or the gloves can be so restrictive that you prefer to take them off. And that is precisely what we are trying to prevent with this article. So choose work gloves that suit your work.
What properties should your work gloves absolutely have?
- High dexterity
- Cut resistant
- Protection when welding
- Protection against crushing, cutting, pinching and stabbing
- Suitable for single use
- Suitable for general use
Tip 4. Choose the right standards
With the correct standards for work gloves you have the guarantee that you are protected against the risks for which the standard is intended. There are 5 standards for work gloves that specify what criteria the glove must meet in order to be allowed to wear this standard.
- Standard EN 374 : protection against chemicals and micro-organisms
- Standard EN 407 : protection against thermal risks
- Standard EN 421 : protection against radiation and radioactivity
- Standard EN 511 : protection against cold
- Standard EN 388 : protection against mechanical risks (including the new standard for cut resistance: ISO 13997)
