What Does
Palm Coated Gloves Mean?
Palm-coated gloves are work gloves with palms that have been coated with a protective material. The type of material used determines the type of protection the material offers; for example, nitrile gloves offer different protection than PVC.
Because the palm is the primary contact point when workers grip materials, palm-coated gloves are a very common type of protective equipment. The most common type of protection offered by palm coating is abrasion resistance, which is used to maintain the integrity of the glove when handling work equipment.
Safeopedia Explains Palm Coated Gloves
Occupational health and safety agencies legally require the use of protective gloves for many workplace tasks, especially in construction. This is due to the large number of construction tasks that require workers to either grip hazardous materials or put physical stress on their palms. Palm-coated gloves may also be necessary for ergonomic reasons, as they can offer additional gripping strength for holding equipment for extended periods.
The various coatings that are commonly used for palm protection include nitrile, polyurethane, latex, PVC and Kevlar. Nitrile coating is commonly used for protection against punctures, abrasions and tears, as well as for oil resistance. Certain types of coating can also be used to prevent chemicals — such as oils and glue — from adhering to the glove. For cases in which the user is exposed to vibration, specific vibration-resistant polymers may be used.
Palm-coated gloves cannot be used to satisfy occupational health and safety requirements unless they have been tested and certified to meet a recognized quality standard, such as an ANSI/ASTM (North America) or EN (Europe) standard. Every glove standard addresses an individual type of hazard protection; for example, the standard ASTM F2992-15 specifies a material’s cut resistance. Gloves certified to provide A1 levels of cut resistance can withstand a blade stroke of at least 200 grams of force, while certified A9-level gloves can withstand a blade stroke of up to 6,000 grams of force.