Do you want to buy gloves for work or do you have to buy them for your employees? Be aware that the price is related to the choice of materials and that the choice is vast. Every responsible buyer is looking for the best, value for money. But how do you find your way around and choose the right type of glove? To do this you need to answer some questions:
The type of work and the requirements related to the resistance of the glove in relation to
– to abrasion,
– to the cuts,
– to tears,
– to the risk of perforation,
– to the heat,
– Chemical liquids and other relevant considerations.
The arrival of new products in recent decades.
The advent of new products in recent decades has contributed greatly to increase worker protection while improving dexterity and comfort.
In this article we have listed a number of materials used in the manufacture of work gloves. The materials are listed in order of strength, starting with the least cut resistant, cotton to the most resistant Dymeema glove. For the same material, different weaves can be found due to the variation in thread diameter, for example 13 or 18 gauges. This term refers to a unit, based on the gauge of the weaving machines of a certain era. The higher the number, the smaller the wire diameter. Gloves with a high number of gauges are normally woven tighter, the thread lends itself better and the final appearance of the mesh is closer to the fabric. This usually results in an improved level of protection against cuts.
List of materials classified by the level of cut resistance.
Materials
Cotton
Polyester
Nylon
Kevlar
Dyneema
Dyneema reinforced with fibreglass yarn
Dyneema reinforced with steel wire
Dyneema Equivalent (Superior)
Coated gloves have dethroned leather gloves.
With the advent of coatings came the creation of gloves that were much more durable and less expensive. Coatings are often applied to strategic areas such as the palm, fingers and sometimes the back of the hand. The results are gloves that are stronger yet lighter than leather gloves. Coatings have certainly added grip to knitwear, which was previously a little slippery. For example, the addition of latex has greatly improved the dry grip of objects.
However, glove manufacturers have found variations to their coatings. The aim is to improve certain characteristics, or compensate for a defect. For example: Latex is found in 2 types of variants. The foam (or porous) type and the ribbed type. Each brings a specific advantage to the glove. Some other coatings such as nitrile are applied as foam or smooth. The multitude of combinations with different fibres and coatings allow the creation of several hundred different glove designs. We have extracted a non-exhaustive list of Sylprotec of Montreal.
List of coatings
Porous latex: used with several types of yarn, this coating gives a very good dry setting.
Ribbed latex: used with several types of yarn, this coating gives an excellent dry set.
Porous PVC (chlorinated polyvinyl: used with several types of yarn, this coating is excellent with the use of glue.
Smooth PVC: used with several types of yarn, this coating provides impermeability and chemical resistance.
Porous Nitrile: used with several types of yarn, this coating gives a good dry setting and chemical resistance.
Smooth nitrile: used with several types of yarn, this coating provides impermeability and chemical resistance.
Coating
Polypropylene
Latex
Ribbed latex
Rough PVC (Chlorinated polyvinyl)
Smooth PVC
Porous Nitrile
Smooth Nitrile
PVA (poly vinyl alcohol)
Examples of gloves by cut resistance level
Ribbed latex coated cotton: G504
Rough PVC coated cotton: G502, G519
15 gauge cotton, smooth nitrile coated: GS15NT
10 gauge cotton and polyester, latex ribbed coating: GS10LXQ
Smooth nitrile coated cotton: GNTFC, G520
PVA coated cotton: GE15554
13 gauge nylon, latex foam coated: G051144.
Nylon 13 gauge, polyurethane coated: GS13BKPUQ
13 gauge nylon, PVC coated: GS13BPVC
PVC-coated nylon: G511, G513, G517
10 gauge KevlarTM, ribbed latex coated: GS10KLX
Nitrile Foam Coated 13 Gauge Kevlar: GS13KFNT, Level 2 cuts
Nitrile Foam Coated 18 Gauge Kevlar: GS18KGFN, Level 4 cuts
TenactivTM polyurethane coated, GS13TAGPU 4 denominations level
DyneemaTM, SpandexTM and 13 Gauge Steel Wire, GS13GDSTL, Level 4 cuts
13 Gauge DyneemaTM Nitrile Foam Coated, GS13FGFNT, Level 5 cuts
Nitrile Foam Coated Composite TenActiv, GSTAFGFNT, Level 5 denominations
The best choice may not be the most economical.
If you are a buyer or business owner, waste is certainly something you want to avoid. Once you’ve chosen your glove, try it on for size, pay attention to how long the gloves will last in your business. Is it thrown away because it is worn out or because it is soiled?
Is it possible to choose a cheaper model with a similar lifespan and acceptable in terms of safety? Not all companies have the same requirements for their glove management. However, one fact remains the higher the number of employees, the higher the risk of waste. Hence the interest in not choosing the best of the best, thinking that all workers will keep their gloves after more than a month.
Make no mistake, the glove resale market is a market where several buyers could cut a cent in half for an economy. The administrators have certainly made the direct cost to the company’s profits clear. After all, it’s a matter of perspective.
You can obtain several models of gloves as well as protective sleeves for you or your employees at Sylprotec. You can buy online or at their store in Saint-Leonard. You will find a wide selection of safety equipment as well as material for your fire protection and more.
Sylvain Patrice f.p.t.
By the same author:
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