When you work with your hands, you know how valuable they are. Yet workplace accidents are all too common. Smashing a finger with a hammer, losing your grip on a stone, or catching your hand in machinery all have the potential to result in injuries, from minor bruises to career-ending disabilities. That’s why it’s critical that you have the right work gloves to protect your hands.
So how do you know which glove is right for you?
What To Look For When Choosing The Right Work Glove:
Consider Your Risks
The first step in choosing the right work glove is considering your risks. For example, if the primary risk at your workplace involves hazardous chemicals, you’ll need different gloves than someone working with sharp tools. Similarly, if your primary risk comes from impacts, you’ll need different gloves than someone who is exposed to high temperatures, like welding.
So think about the risks your particular job involves, and choose a work glove that addresses them. You may even need multiple pairs of gloves if your job involves various different types of risks.
Look for Certification
Your hands are your livelihood, so you can’t afford to use an inferior work glove. Fortunately, industry standards exist to help you choose the best glove for your needs. That’s why you should always look for certification, rather than simply choosing gloves based on what looks like it might be protective. Good work gloves should be able to back up their claims with test results.
At Safety Tuff, for instance, our gloves are subjected to rigorous testing through both the Akron Rubber Development Laboratory and the American National Standards Institute, showing that our gloves can withstand up to 500 pounds of direct pressure, and our finger guards can protect you from up to 45 pounds of direct impact.
Select the Appropriate Material
The right material is crucial for the performance of your work glove. This is one thing you don’t want to cut corners on! For example, if you handle a lot of sharp tools, you may want gloves made from Kevlar. Alternatively, if you work in construction or masonry, you’ll need gloves made of materials that protect your hands from impact while giving you the dexterity you need.
Safety Tuff gloves, for instance, use a combination of neoprene, synthetic leather, and thermoplastic rubber. We’ve found that this combination of materials helps workers stay comfortable and easily move their fingers, while providing the impact protection they need. With Safety Tuff gloves, you can even use the touch screen on your phone, which is important if you need to answer calls without removing your gloves.
Check the Fit
Even the highest quality work glove isn’t going to protect you if it doesn’t fit properly. Whether your gloves are too loose or too tight, the protective components may not align properly on your hand, and your gloves may shift during impact. So it’s crucial that you choose a glove that fits you correctly.
It’s a bad idea to select work gloves that claim to be one-size-fits all because there is so much variation in hand size. Instead, look for gloves that come in a range of sizes so you can pick the size that fits you best. At Safety Tuff, we carry sizes from Medium to XX-Large to ensure every worker finds a good fit.
Protect Your Hands With Premium-Grade Impact Work Gloves
Would you like to learn more about whether Safety Tuff gloves are the right work glove for you? Check out this video to see them in action. And feel free to contact us with any questions specific to your line of work.