Hand Protection at Work A Guide to Proper Glove Selection

Glove Selection Your hands are one of your most valuable tools. Nothing has ever been invented that can match them in usefulness and adaptability. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to protect them, both at work and at home!

Glove Selection It is important to select the right glove for the task at hand. The gloves presented in this discussion are among the most common found in construction and maintenance activities at Southern Company and are used daily by employees for their specific jobs. Items to remember when choosing gloves for a job task are proper selection, use, care, and the limitations associated with each.

Glove Selection Different gloves are designed to protect against specific hazards. ALWAYS know the right glove for the job. If you’re not sure, check with your supervisor before choosing gloves for the specific jobs in your work area. You can refer to a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) if the job involves potentially hazardous chemicals or materials. See the area-specific procedures for glove guidelines. Gloves take only a few seconds to put on and they protect you from a variety of hazards. Make sure they fit properly. If they’re too big they can get caught on an object. If they’re too small they can restrict movement and circulation

Glove Inspection Always inspect your gloves before using them. Of principal concern are cuts, tears and punctures. Discoloration or stiffness may indicate non- uniformities in the glove’s material resulting from damage and/or previous use. Visual inspection should be done every time you use gloves to detect damage or defects. Dispose of gloves that have been damaged or show signs of excessive wear.

Leather Drivers’ Gloves Drivers’ gloves are thin leather gloves for general purpose use and are excellent for material handling. They allow good dexterity while providing protection at the same time. The full leather gloves provides protection to the entire hand from abrasion and punctures. Slip-on driver's style gloves provide dependable, comfortable hand protection for a wide variety of jobs.

Leather Drivers’ Gloves IMPORTANT NOTE: Leather drivers’ gloves do not provide protection against chemical exposure. Select a specific chemical resistant glove in combination with the leather glove for proper protection. All gloves must be disposed of when they become soiled or damaged by contact with chemicals. Leather drivers’ gloves do not provide adequate cut resistance for work with bladed tools and sharp material.

Latex Gloves/Nitrile Gloves

Latex gloves are an excellent line of defense against potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens, bodily fluids and are used mainly for medical use situations, but can have additions uses as well. Latex gloves do not provide protection against punctures, cuts, and abrasions and should be disposed of properly after each use. Nitrile gloves also provide excellent protection for medical use situations, and can be found in heavier material for protection during housekeeping tasks, painting and parts cleaning. If your gloves do come in contact with blood and/or bodily fluids they should be disposed of in a biohazard container.

Chemical Gloves

Latex Gloves/Nitrile Gloves The selection of the proper chemical-resistant glove begins with an evaluation of the job application. There are different types of chemical resistant gloves including, but not limited to: butyl, rubber, neoprene, nitrile, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Physical performance may be a more critical factor in some cases than chemical resistance. If a job application involves handling heavy, rough, or sharp objects then the glove must have high resistance to abrasion, cuts, snags, etc. Or, consider using an appropriate light weight chemical glove in combination with an abrasion resistant leather glove. A hole in a glove can provide much greater chemical exposure potential than molecular permeation.

Chemical Gloves Factors that influence this selection are: the type of chemicals to be handled (or used) frequency and duration of chemical contact nature of contact (total immersion or splash only) concentration of chemicals temperature of chemicals abrasion/resistance requirements puncture-, snag-, tear-, and cut-resistance requirements length to be protected (hand only, forearm, arm) dexterity requirements grip requirements (dry grip, wet grip, oily) cuff edge (safety cuff, knit wrist, or gauntlet) color requirements (to show contamination) thermal protection (for example, when handling anhydrous ammonia) size and comfort requirements

Silver Shield Gloves

These gloves provide excellent chemical resistant and are impermeable to most chemical compounds, but are stiff and have poor grip and fit (one size fits all) and provide NO resistance to punctures and tears. They are commonly used of HazMat work and are a good choice for universal spill kit gloves. They are best used in conjunction with a leather glove for added protection. Silvershield gloves are disposable after each use.

Leather TIG Welding Gloves

Leather TIG welding gloves are a flexible welding glove that is durable, lightweight and pliable. These smooth leather gloves are perfect for MIG-TIG, heli-arc welding, and other heat and spark-producing applications. This style adds added protection to the worker’s hand and wrist. They also help to avoid the potential for puncture and abrasion incidents. Leather TIG gloves should be inspected for defects and damage before each use. If damage or defects are discovered, discard of the gloves immediately.

Stick Welding Gloves

Stick welding gloves are made of leather and add addition padding and protection to the worker’s hands and arms against heat and spark-producing welding jobs. The stick welding glove offers limited dexterity, but is an excellent guard against heat. Stick welding gloves should be inspected for damage and defects and discarded as needed.

Leather Welding Sleeves

Provides protection against welding splatter and sparks. Leather welding sleeves come in a variety of sizes and are made of quality leather with adjustable straps. The sleeves add protection to a welders’ forearms during welding activities.

Cut Resistant Kevlar Gloves

Cut-Resistant Kevlar gloves Cut-Resistant Kevlar gloves are to be worn when handling sharp materials, cutting materials, or using tools with sharp edges. Many manufacturers are providing neoprene coated (dipped) Cut-resistant gloves which are durable and offer improved grip along with dexterity. It is also important to remember that cut-resistant gloves are not cut or puncture proof. They do not offer protection against chemical exposure and should be discarded if damages or defects are discovered.

Cut Resistant Kevlar Sleeves

Cut-Resistant Kevlar gloves Used in combination with kevlar protective gloves to provide laceration protection for forearms/wrists when manually handling material with sharp edges or when performing operations with a knife, such as stripping wire Available in various cut resistant ratings

Puncture Resistant Gloves

Cut/Tear/Puncture Resistance Ratings *The higher the number, the greater the resistance

High Voltage Gloves

High voltage gloves are a two piece set that help to protect workers against the potential for electrical shock. High voltage gloves come in a variety of ratings depending on the voltage associated with the job task. High voltage gloves are color coded with the corresponding protection classification. All high voltage gloves are tested on a regular basis to ensure that proper protection can be fulfilled. Rubber gloves shall be air/water tested and visually inspected by the wearer for defects before use each day and whenever there is a cause to suspect damage. It is important to discard if defects are discovered.