When looking for the best Fit for Purpose (FfP) glove option one of the first things to look at is the grip that the glove coating provides. The best place to do that is by looking at the application and the work conditions. That is:- Are you working in an Oily, Wet or a Dry environment? Once this is done you then need to start looking at the main hazards associated with the application i.e Abrasions, Cut and laceration, Punctures, Impact or a combination of these.

Not having the right FfP glove for your task can heavily impact the gloves effectiveness and your productivity. The better grip, dexterity and durability that the coating provides the more benefits it has for the worker at reducing hand-related injuries. Improve these and your workers will have no issues not wearing their hand protection at all times.

So how do you know which coating is the best for your job? Let’s walk through the options.

Coating Materials:

Polyurethane (PU): Lightweight, flexible, durable grip coating that features good abrasion and puncture resistance. Incredibly popular and sufficient for a wider range of applications.

Natural rubber latex: Flexible, more resistant to abrasion compared to PU and nitrile but has minimal tackiness. Features an excellent dry grip.

Sandy nitrile: Known for its high abrasion resistance. More elastic and form fitting than other nitrile coatings. Excellent in oily situations and very good in wet environments.

Foam/sponge: Gloves with a sponge coating (chemically foamed) are softer and more flexible than flat nitrile and perform well in dry and oily applications.

Micro nitrile: Formulated to be thinner than a nitrile foam coating, micro nitrile can have a slightly tacky finish and feature good breathability and flexibility.

Foam neoprene: Neoprene foam coating ensures a coating with a higher resistance to heat whilst providing a secure grip in wet, oily and dry environments to reduce slippage and tension in the hands.

Risk:

Low-risk applications (general purpose gloves) needing a high level of dexterity without the need for cut protection -

Injury consequence if not wearing a glove: Minor injury, generally dealt with by in-hose first aid.

Medium-risk cut hazards requiring a high level of dexterity -

Injury consequence if not wearing a glove: Medical help needed. Treatment required by medical professional.

Gloves suitable for applications where a high-risk of cuts or lacerations may occur -

Injury consequence if not wearing a glove: Significant non-permanent injury, overnight hospitalisation.

After considering which material best suits your application and what risk level is involved, you can choose the best glove from a number of the world's leading brands.

Get in touch with a Safety Expert

Blackwoods knows the industry and environment in which you operate – We have it covered when it comes to safety, no matter what the application.

The Blackwoods Safety team will help you make the best purchasing and process decisions and provide support every step of the way to help you keep your people safe.

Click here to get in touch.