A Complete Guide to Work Gloves

Work gloves are a broad category of personal protective equipment (PPE) that can cover a highly diverse range of different product types, materials and functions.

In most cases, workwear gloves perform at least one key role, often several. These generally relate to either employee convenience and comfort, hand protection for improved user safety, product preservation, or general cleanliness and hygiene.

Electrical safety gloves are also categorised by their classification. Type I electrical gloves are not resistant to ozone, whereas type II is resistant. They can also be categorised by the level of voltage protection they provide, as shown in the table below:

Fingerless Work Gloves

Fingerless gloves are commonly used in a variety of professions, including:

• Food processing and packaging environments
• General manufacturing and light assembly tasks
• Laboratories, clean rooms, and other controlled environments

There are several benefits to a fingerless style in certain applications. They are mainly used wherever the worker needs to retain optimal fingertip dexterity. They also add a level of protection, padding, comfort or warmth for the palm and back of the hand.

These types of hand covering are also widely used as liner options for outer gloves. This is especially common when the gloves are made from more robust protective materials. A cotton liner can greatly reduce perspiration and skin irritation. For some people, this is also caused by prolonged contact with certain outer materials like latex or PVC.

Warehouse Gloves

In most cases, general-purpose padded or protective gloves can be used as warehouse gloves. The key qualities employees tend to need in gloves for warehouse work are cushioning, comfort and high dexterity. For more heavy-duty goods handling, it is often necessary to include some degree of abrasion and tear resistance.

Construction Gloves

Construction gloves also cover a broad range of product types, including some specialist varieties such as concrete gloves or gloves for carpenters. Again, when shopping for construction work gloves, look for hardwearing or heavy-duty types that offer a degree of cut protection. It is also important that the gloves are breathable and well suited to wearing all day. Weatherproofing may often be needed for outdoor work, or construction tasks involving wet conditions or materials.

Heavy-Duty Work Gloves

Heavy-duty hand protection can be made from many different base fabrics and enhancing materials. These range from thick-woven layered cloth, to stainless steel mesh, often categorised by their added strength features. Popular examples are abrasion resistant, anti-tear, or puncture-resistant.

Some heavy-duty types are sold as rigger or rappelling gloves. However, in professional use, these types will each have their own specific requirements for worker comfort and safety. Most heavy-duty gloves tend to be categorised as general-purpose, ideally suited to a broad array of demanding physical or mechanical tasks.

Work Gloves with Grip

Grip gloves are crucial in several different sectors and industries. These include general construction and scaffolding, mechanical repairs, and electrical engineering. Grip gloves are also used in gardening and outdoor work, automotive care, and many other professions. Enhanced grip gloves use a variety of manufacturing techniques and materials to achieve peak performance.

They often feature engineered fabric panels on the palm or fingertips. Some types are also designed to work in a range of wet or hazardous conditions. Grip is often one of the first qualities to become compromised in a more basic glove when wet.

Thin Work Gloves

Thinner materials are often chosen when enhanced dexterity is important for a job. This can include in medical and healthcare facilities, food preparation and catering, on production lines, or for light assembly work. They are also widely used in electrical engineering and laboratory or cleanroom environments.

Thin gloves may be designed to be disposable or reusable. The best choice will depend on the degree of wearer protection or hygiene that is needed in the workplace. Some enhanced versions may be designed as thin gloves with grip. These are ideal for tougher tasks that still require dexterity and reduced hand fatigue.

Padded Work Gloves

Padded models are usually necessary where there is a risk of prolonged exposure to vibration. However, padded gloves can also be extremely handy for general worker protection, for example in all manner of warehousing and general goods handling tasks.

Padding for gloves can be either internal or external, depending on the environment or job they are designed for. Effective padding can be achieved through the layering of various fabric types. Another approach involves using a range of different cushioning materials or coatings in key areas of the glove.

The specific function of a work glove is often dictated by the materials used to construct it. Some especially common choices for work glove materials and their associated qualities include:

• Nitrile gloves. Widely found in both multi-use and single-use products. Often associated with hygiene requirements, as well as for tasks where dielectric properties are important
• Latex and PVC. Also commonly found in both disposable and multi-use products. Note that some individuals can experience skin sensitivities to these materials
• Leather work gloves. Great for a wide range of heavy-duty workplace tasks. Often worn over another thinner layer (e.g. cotton for warmth and comfort, or rubber for electrical insulation)
• Nylon gloves. Nylon is used as a base material for an extensive range of workplace hand protection products. It tends to be comfort-fitting and easy to enhance with a variety of other fabrics and materials for added protection

What is a Medium Glove Size?

Glove sizes are typically measured in inches at the widest part (around the knuckles) of the dominant hand. A medium glove size in the UK is a 9. Anything below an 8 is considered small, while anything over a 10 is usually sold as large. Various types, especially single-use products, may be sold as one size where appropriate.

What are the Best Waterproof Work Gloves?

Our own RS Pro Waterproof Nylon Gloves are ideal for tasks like bricklaying, construction, cement handling and gardening. They are a cost-effective solution for reusable gloves, featuring a padded latex foam coating for superior grip in the wet. They are flexible and close-fitting, and also have an elasticated knit wrist for improved comfort.

What are the Best Winter Work Gloves?

Thermal work gloves are a great choice for winter and cold environment tasks. We recommend something like the BM Polyco Thermit, a close-fitting thermal glove made from seamless knitted yarn. It is a close-fitting glove for improved dexterity and can also be worn as a thermal under-glove for added comfort and protection.

What are the Best Gloves for Handling Concrete Blocks?

RS PRO polyurethane (PU) coated work gloves offer very good abrasion resistance for concrete handling and other tough construction jobs. They are also ideal for vehicle repair and general maintenance tasks. High quality and reusable, they offer enhanced tear and chemical protection, making them stronger and more durable than standard versions. They are also CE certified to standard EN407, providing short-term contact protection against temperatures of up to 100°C.

What is the Difference Between Latex, Vinyl, and Nitrile Gloves?

Latex gloves are made from natural rubber. These tend to offer the highest levels of user comfort and flexibility. They are great at protecting against bacteria and viruses, but less mechanically durable than some other materials. Certain people can experience sensitive skin reactions to latex.

Nitrile gloves are also flexible and durable but made from synthetic material. They also tend to offer robust protection against viruses, as well as reasonably robust chemical guarding.

Vinyl gloves are also synthetic in construction. They tend to be a cheaper alternative to nitrile. They may be somewhat less flexible and durable, depending on manufacturer quality levels. They are comfortable to wear, and typically provide good protection against chemical hazards.

Will Leather Gloves Prevent Electric Shocks?

Leather gloves are great at protecting against heat, sparks, and cuts, and will offer some degree of dielectric properties. This makes them ideal for welders. However, leather is not seen as sufficient protection from currents and voltages to make it a standalone solution in electrical tasks. For more heavy-duty mains work or industrial electronics, pair leather outer gloves with an appropriate insulating layer such as rubber for better protection.