Protective Gloves for Cut and Heat Resistance
Working in the commercial or industrial sector might expose certain employees to cut hazards. Hence OSHA has stipulated the use of appropriate hand protection to ensure the safety of employees' hands.
Gloves are an important part of personal protective equipment, as they can come in handy when it comes to safeguarding the fingers, hands and in some cases, the arms from a wide range of on-site injuries. Cut-resistant gloves, as the name suggests, offer protection from cuts and abrasions. They also safeguard the hands from chemical exposure and electrical shock.
OSHA Regulations for Hand Protection
As per section 1910.138 (a) of OSHA's Hand Protection guidelines, it is the onus of the employers to select and mandate employees to use appropriate hand protection in instances when the hands are exposed to hazards that may be caused as a result of harmful substances, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical burns, thermal burns, and/or harmful temperature extremes.
Section 1910.138 (b) of OSHA's Hand Protection guidelines suggests that employers shall base the selection of the appropriate hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified.
G-Tek Gloves for Hand Protection
When it comes to performance gloves, PIP's G-Tek gloves are a popular option both in terms of the protection they offer, but also with respect to their unmatched grip. Here are a few reasons why G-Tek Gloves should be on top of your list when you are looking for a trustworthy brand that offers a near perfect cut performance:
Great Durability
The most recent G-Tek gloves comprise of Dyneema® Diamond Technology fiber. This unique fiber is highly durable as compared to the conventional HPPE fiber. Right from offering greater abrasion resistance to enabling multiple wears and washes, these gloves promise consistent performance for a fairly long time. G-Tek coated gloves are washable, resistant to chemicals, water, and ultraviolet light - making them truly reliable.
Enhanced Safety
Thanks to the Dyneema® Diamond Technology, the proprietary yarns that G-Tek gloves are made of offers them with exceptionally high cut resistance. In fact, when compared with gloves made using the standard Dyneema® fiber, the cut resistance has been seen higher by 200%.
Greater Comfort
In order for cut resistant gloves to be as functional as they are protective, it is crucial that they offer a certain level of comfort to the wearer. Thankfully, the Dyneema® Diamond Technology fiber is substantially lighter than most fibers. Not only does this ensure that the wearer's hands feel comparatively cooler, the flexible make of this fiber also ensures that the wearer's skin enjoys complete comfort throughout the work day.
Ever since the launch of the 3GX™ gloves PIP Protective Industrial Products has had to expand its lines of cut-resistant gloves and sleeves to meet the overwhelming demand for the same.
Varied Applications
The G-TEK 3GX gloves can be used for electronics, glass cutting, sheet metal handling, parts assembly, sharp small parts handling, construction, and other general duty applications. The seamless make of these gloves facilitate enhanced utility of these gloves, which are known to provide the highest level of cut protection.
Improved Grip
The G-TEK 3GX gloves comprise of a polyurethane grip for great abrasion resistance, excellent puncture resistance, and outstanding wet/dry grip. This helps make the form-fitting glove rather useful even when the items that need to be handled are comparatively fragile. Moreover, the skin-tight dexterity of these cut-resistant gloves further adds to their functionality!
Did You Know: There are 110,000 lost time cases due to hand injuries annually and over one million workers are treated in an ER for hand injuries annually.
Fact: The Dyneema® Diamond Technology Fiber used for making G-Tek gloves with exceptional cut resistance, has been deemed to be the world's strongest fiber!
ANSI Cut Levels - Cut Resistant Glove Levels
When searching for the ideal gloves for your employees, you may have come across the term "ANSI/ISEA 105-2016" or :ANSI Cut Level". But, what do these terms mean? How do they matter to you?
Well, in order to pick the right glove for your employees, you need to know the cut resistance levels of the gloves. These levels are indicative of the protection against the cut risk that the glove's material provides.
But first things first.
What is ANSI? It is the American National Standards Institute.
What is ISEA? International Safety Equipment Association
What is ANSI/ISEA 105-2016? It refers to the standard that became effective in March 2016, which measures the cut resistance levels of industrial gloves on a scale of A1 to A9. Each level of cut resistance is indicative of the cutting load (in grams) from a sharp blade that a glove can withstand before being penetrated.
Let us take a quick look at the 9 ANSI Cut Levels -
ANSI Cut Level - A1
Ideal for Low Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 200–499 grams of cutting load
Applications - Light to medium-duty assembly, maintenance & repair, and material handling
Find an A1 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP ATG 34-874 Maxiflex Ultimate Gloves
ANSI Cut Level - A2
Ideal for Light Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 500–999 grams of cutting load
Applications - Light to Medium-duty Assembly, Automotive, Construction, Maintenance & Repair, Material Handling and Metal Handling.
Find an A2 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP ATG 34-8743 MaxiFlex Cut Seamless Knit Glove
ANSI Cut Level - A3
Ideal for Light/Medium Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 1000–1499 grams of cutting load
Applications - Medium to Heavy-duty Assembly, Automotive, Construction, Maintenance & Repair, Material Handling and Metal Handling.
Find an A3 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP ATG 44 3455 MaxiCut Ultra DT Gloves
ANSI Cut Level - A4
Ideal for Medium Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 1500-2199 grams of cutting load
Applications - Medium-duty Assembly, Automotive, Construction, Glass Fixture Installation, Material Handling and Metal Handling.
Find an A4 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP West Chester 713DGU Barracuda Glove
ANSI Cut Level - A5
Ideal for Medium/Hard Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 2200-2999 grams of cutting load
Applications - Heavy-duty Assembly, Automotive, Construction, Glass Handling, Material Handling, Metal Handling, and Metal Stamping.
- Find an A5 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP G-Tek PolyKor Glove
ANSI Cut Level - A6
Ideal for Medium/High Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 3000-3999 grams of cutting load
Applications - Heavy-duty Assembly, Automotive, Construction, Glass Handling, Material Handling, Metal Handling, and Metal Stamping.
- Find an A6 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP West Chester 713KSSN PosiGrip
ANSI Cut Level - A7
Ideal for Higher Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 4000-4999 grams of cutting load
Applications - Heavy-duty Assembly, Automotive, Construction, Glass Manufacturing, Metal Handling, and Metal Stamping.
- Find an A7 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP G-Tek 16-377 PolyKor
ANSI Cut Level - A8
Ideal for Highest Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 5000-5999 grams of cutting load
Applications - Oils & gas industry, mining, demolition, or heavy equipment operation
- Find an A8 Cut Resistance Level Glove - MCR Safety Steelcore 9350 Glove
ANSI Cut Level - A9
Ideal for Extreme Cut Hazards
Cut resistance against 6000+ grams of cutting load
Applications -Heavy Material Fabrication, Blade Handling, and High-Risk contact with glass, wire, metal, wood, etc.
- Find an A9 Cut Resistance Level Glove - PIP G-Tek 16-MP935 PolyKor X7 Blended Glove
Disclaimer - This article simply serves the purpose of offering you all the relevant information that can help aid your decision, while choosing apt glove protection for your employees. We hope that you will now take into account the material's cut resistance before making the final call. That said, please understand, our recommendations are just advisory, and may or may not be suited for your desired application. Hence, the onus of choosing the right glove lies with you.
Source(s)
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.138
