When most people think of safety gloves, they picture a pair of thick leather work gloves that protect their hands from rough surfaces and sharp objects. In addition to other safety equipment, cut resistance gloves play a crucial role in workplaces. Read on for more information on them.
What is a cut-resistant glove?
Cut-resistant gloves protect you from cuts and abrasions. They are made of materials that are harder than human skin and can be either woven or moulded into a shape that helps prevent injury in the event of an incident.
Cuts, along with burns and other injuries (like those caused by chemicals), are common hazards in many industries. These types of injuries can result in lost time and significant medical expenses.
How do they work?
The first thing to understand is that most these gloves are made from synthetic fibres, such as aramid or Kevlar. The fibres are woven into a fabric that forms the glove itself. These fabrics have been designed to resist cuts, so when you wear a glove made from this material, your fingers will be better protected against injury than if you weren’t wearing one at all. Also know about 6 Reasons You Should Hire Node.js Developers for Your Next Startup.
What makes gloves cut-resistant?
Several elements combine to make gloves cut resistant. These include:
- Material – the material used in the glove, including natural fibres like cotton or leather, and synthetic materials such as Kevlar or Dyneema, will affect its durability. Those with a higher level of material strength are more likely to withstand cuts from blades.
- Thickness – another factor is the thickness of the glove. The thicker it is, the better protection you get, but this also means that you may find them less flexible and harder to wear for long periods.
- Design – some manufacturers design their gloves specifically for certain purposes; others make them more generic so they can be worn by anyone working in any environment (such as construction). Some models have additional features such as reinforced stitching or extra padding at key points around your hand where there is likely to be friction against blades, while other models may not have these additional features but still provide good levels of protection against being sliced on sharp edges or broken glass.
How are they tested?
Cut resistance is usually measured by the amount of force it takes to cut through a sample of the material, with a machine designed specifically for this purpose. A sharp blade is pressed against the material in question, and its resistance is measured, typically using an instrument called a dynamometer.
Types of cut resistance.
Cut-resistance gloves are rated by the amount of force it takes to cut through them. The higher the number, the more resistant they are. There are five levels of cut resistance:
- Level 1 – Very poor protection against sharp cutting hazards (i.e., paper).
- Level 2 – Poor protection against sharp cutting hazards.
- Level 3 – Good protection against sharp cutting hazards (i.e., glass).
- Level 4 – Excellent protection against sharp cutting hazards such as wire rope and razor blades; however, these gloves will not protect your hands from heat or abrasion that may occur when working with molten metals and other extremely hot materials such as molten glass or hot metal slag.
Tips for Buying Cut-Resistant Gloves
Here are a few tips for buying these gloves:
- Buy the right size: Your cut-resistant gloves should be just tight enough to stay on your hand but not so tight that they’re uncomfortable. If you have trouble sliding them on or off easily, they may be too small. If there is any excess material around your fingers, they are probably too big.
- Make sure they fit well in your hands: The best way to do this is by trying different sizes and seeing which feels most comfortable and secure when using them at work or in other activities (such as sports). You can also try putting a pair of cotton gloves inside each pair of cut-resistant gloves for a while—if these feel more comfortable than wearing just the cut-resistant ones alone, then chances are good that these won’t work out for you either!
