When do I need supported gloves?

When working with chemicals and toxins, it’s crucial to protect your hands and skin as much as possible. Think of how easily liquids and gases can spread. Imagine how easily a toxin could seep into your skin or through a small cut on your finger and enter your blood stream. With the options available to protect against chemical contamination, are you willing to take that risk? Supported gloves were created to protect against chemical hazards while providing a level of cut and tear resistance.

Selecting the best supported glove may be a bit more challenging with several choices available on the market. It is important to consider degradation (the physical change to the glove following exposure to a chemical) and permeation (rate at which the element can seep through the material). Some materials (like latex) are more chemical resistant but come with a risk of allergic reaction while others (like nitrile) provide good general coverage but may not work with stronger chemicals or flammable items. Do your research and make certain you fully understand the materials you’ll be working with when selecting the proper glove for the job.

Don’t forget to consider how much the gloves affect a worker’s dexterity. While the task may be made slightly more difficult, they still need to be able to use their hands with some level of flexibility to be functional.