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Safety gloves are articles of clothing used to partially or entirely cover the hands—and, to some extent, the arms—to provide protection to the user or otherwise improve operational efficiency (e.g., improving grip or maintaining sanitary conditions) within industrial and commercial applications. Used for applications ranging from chemical processing to electrical equipment handling, manufacturers produce a wide range of gloves made with a variety of synthetic and natural materials—e.g., cotton, rubber, plastic, etc.—and characteristics—e.g., cut, chemical, heat, cold, and abrasion resistance.
Determining which type of glove to use generally depends on the occupational environment, duration of the job, and type of conditions or contaminants associated with the application. Based on these considerations, there are several types of gloves available for industrial and commercial use, including:
Lightweight gloves
Disposable gloves
Chemical and liquid-resistant gloves
Tear, puncture, and cut resistant gloves
Thermal proof gloves
Impact and vibration resistant gloves
Heavy-duty gloves
The following sections provide a brief description of the above-mentioned types of gloves.
