Believe it or not, there is a great deal of misunderstanding about when cut-resistant gloves will protect you from being cut. However, unless it is built for extremely specific uses (which we shall discuss later in this piece), your cut-resistant glove will provide 360 degrees of protection from cuts and punctures.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS INFORMATION?
According to recent data, cuts and lacerations to the hands accounted for over 140,000 nonfatal occupational injuries that prompted workers to require leave from their jobs temporarily.
These injuries can be caused by machinery or hand tools, and as a result, your palm, wrist, and back side of your hand are all equally prone to harm as the rest of your hand.
Hand and wrist injuries are the most expensive emergency room injuries in terms of cost, accounting for more than $740 million in medical expenses each year.
When it comes to cut resistance, it all starts in the yarn:
98 percent of the gloves currently available on the market are made from at least one of the following two types of yarn:
Para-aramid and High-Performance Polyethylene (HPPE)
These two fibres are cut-resistant by their very nature. They are offered under a variety of brand names, but if your glove is constructed of either of these materials, your hand will be protected from cuts from all directions.
CUT PROTECTION IS IMPROVED WITH ENGINEERED YARNS:
Para-aramid and high-performance polythene (HPE) are excellent choices for moderate cut protection on their own, but engineered yarns provide a higher level of cut resistance.
These are yarns that are created by combining two or more different components (e.g. HPPE and steel). The addition of a steel element to a high-performance yarn is analogous to the reinforcement of concrete with steel rebar. It increases the strength of something that was previously quite strong.
GLOVE COATINGS
The coating on a glove may provide a little amount of additional cut resistance, but not enough to warrant considering a coated cotton glove to be cut resistant.
The bottom line is that cut resistance is not provided by a glove’s covering.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE: As previously indicated, there are some speciality gloves that will only be cut-resistant on one side, such as those used in the construction industry. However, as demonstrated in the illustration below, your glove company should make this extremely clear.
IMPORTANT Key points: Hand injuries are expensive and far too common in the workplace
If you’re wearing a cut-resistant glove, you’ll be protected from all angles.
It is possible to reduce lost work time injuries and keep you safe by using the proper cut-resistant gloves.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO RESISTANCE TO PUNCTURES
The Ultimate Guide to Puncture Resistance has one goal: to compile all of the material available on the internet about puncture resistance into one handy location specifically for you.
If you’re unsure which standard to use or what to look for when purchasing personal protective equipment, this blog will become your new best friend.
As with cut-resistant gloves, puncture-resistant gloves do not exist.
A glove does not ensure that it will deflect a sharp object. However, a puncture-resistant glove has a significantly better probability of preventing or minimising an injury than:
- A Single Naked Hand
- A Glove That Has Not Been Tested for Puncture Resistance
- A Glove That is Rate Incorrectly for Puncture Resistance
What do you mean by the incorrect type of puncture resistance? Consider how puncture resistance is determined.
PUNCTURE RESISTANCE IS MEASURED IN WHAT MANNER?
When we refer to the incorrect type of puncture resistance, we do not suggest that one is superior to the other. There are two criteria for puncture resistance, and each has a distinct application:
EN 388:1994 (THREAT FROM LARGE OBJECTS):
When confronted with threats posed by large or blunt objects, you should apply this guideline when selecting gloves. The EN388 test is conducted with a probe the size of a ballpoint pen. The glove is rated according to the amount of force required to pierce the sample. This standard is appropriate for businesses such as lumber, metal fabrication, and waste management. The only disadvantage is that this test does not account for dangers posed by fine-object puncture.
2. ASTM F2878 (FINE-OBJECT THREAT): The ASTM F2878 standard was introduced in February 2016 to address this. The ASTM F2878 test employs a 25-gauge probe, similar in size to a hypodermic needle. The test determines the number of newtons of force required to penetrate the sample.
WHAT DETERMINES THE RESISTANCE OF A GLOVE TO PUNCTURE?
EN 388 TESTING: A large portion of a glove’s puncture resistance when tested to the EN 388 standard is due to the coating. Different coatings provide varying degrees of protection; for example, nitrile is often more resistant to puncture than polyurethane.
ASTM F2878 TESTING: Due to the probe’s significantly smaller gauge, a palm covering alone will not prevent the probe from piercing the hand. As a result, a barrier material is necessary to safeguard against hypodermic needles.
WHAT LEVEL SHOULD I SELECT?
There is no magic number; it all depends on the dangers you face. A waste management worker who is at risk of being stabbed by a needle requires a different level of protection than a lumber yard worker who is at risk of being punctured by wood splinters or nails.
As a general rule, the greater the amount of protection, the less dexterity is required.
Consult with your employees and safety manager to determine the appropriate level of puncture protection for your workplace.