Washington State University
Environmental Health & Safety EH&S Factsheets

Hand Protection: Hand in Glove with Safety

FAQPPEHand

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect employees from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards.

Hazard Assessments

Regulations require employers conduct hazard assessments of the workplace to determine what hazards are present that require the use of PPE, provide workers with appropriate PPE, and train employees to use and maintain it in clean and reliable condition.

Hand Injuries

Two of the most intricately designed instruments that we work with are our hands. There are probably no other “ tools” that could take the beatings our hands take and still carry out precision maneuvers. The most frequently experienced injuries in WSU’s laboratories involve cuts or chemical exposure to the hand.

Selecting Gloves

Hand protection is necessary when workers may be exposed to harmful substances through skin absorption, cuts or lacerations, abrasions, chemical burns, thermal burns, and cold temperature.

  • Always use the right glove for the job
  • No one glove withstands all hazards
  • Determine glove use requirements and select ones with the properties and features that best suit your needs
  • Consider:
    • specific task(s) being performed, including duration and frequency,
    • the degree of dexterity required,
    • environmental conditions present,
    • degree of exposure to the hazard
    • duration of hand protection use while performing the task,
    • physical stresses that will be applied,
    • the hazards present, and
    • potential/emerging hazards.

Cotton/Fabric Gloves

  • general work gloves for parts handling and general maintenance
  • improve grip when handling slippery objects
  • provide some abrasion resistance
  • insulate hands from mild heat or cold

Leather/Cut Resistant Gloves

  • best for handling sharp objects that might cause lacerations, such as blades, knives, glass, or sheet metal;
  • guard against injuries from heat, sparks, or rough surfaces;
  • used in combination with an insulated liner when working with electricity.

Metal Mesh Gloves

  • protect hands from accidental cuts and scratches;
  • used by persons working with cutting tools or other sharp instruments, such as glass handling, metal fabrication and food processing applications.

Shock-Absorbing Gloves

  • protect against repetitive pushing and pounding or extended contact and help lessen the effects of constant vibration.

Chemical-Resistant Gloves

  • made of rubber, neoprene, polyvinyl, alcohol, or nitrile, reference the manufacturer’s glove compatibility chart to identify glove materials appropriate for the chemicals used;
  • consult the chemical SDS (section 8) for glove selection instructions, chemicals with local skin effects or skin absorption toxicity warrant additional caution;
  • select gloves based upon corrosivity, toxicity and chemical breakthrough (reference glove compatibility charts) when working with mixtures and formulated products.

Electrical Insulated Gloves

  • insulated with a corresponding voltage class/rating for work with electricity.

Disposable Gloves (Latex)

  • usually made of light-weight plastic;
  • widely used in labs, custodial work, and health care environments;
  • help guard against mild irritants, biological materials, and cleaning solutions;
  • should be used with care by those who have or are prone to latex sensitivity.

Getting Assistance

Contact us if you have any questions about glove selection or care.

Glove Care and Use

  • Select the size that is most comfortable for you.
  • Discard disposable gloves in appropriate waste containers.
  • Inspect gloves for signs of deterioration, cuts, tears, and holes prior to each use.
  • Replace worn or damaged gloves.
  • Do not wear watches, rings, or other jewelry that could puncture gloves.
  • Wash and dry your hands before and after glove use to reduce contamination.