Have Work Gloves - Will Work - Staying Safe

Choosing the right work glove for the job is one of the most important safety considerations you can make. It can literally mean the difference between loosing a finger and getting the job done. The most important considerations are the application, the fit, the level of protection, and the durability of the gloves.

Types of Work Gloves

As I already said picking the right glove for the job is important, here are some of the most common types of work gloves.

Leather gloves are always high on the list of possible candidates for long lasting, highly durable, and well fitting comfortable gloves. You can find a wide range of uses and an even wider range of prices for leather gloves. The difference is determined by the grain quality of the leather and the particular application for which the gloves are suitable.

Driving gloves are becoming popular among enthusiast or people that drive for long periods of time. They can also be utilized for motorcycles, off road, flying, tractor driving, or any other type of driving. They can help increase grip and precision in tight fast paced action. Or they can simply make driving more comfortable if you are in the cab for long periods of time or in an outside cab where you may need warmth. On the job you may want to wear work gloves for driving for the simple fact that you may need gloves for off vehicle activities as well as driving.

Palm work gloves refer to gloves that have extra padding for light duty applications. They may not have full fingers but are simply meat to give a boost. They may be used int the gym or in the garden. These gloves will save the pads of the hands in heavy lifting applications.

Welders have some of the most specialized gloves out there and require gloves for all of their work. They simply have no option. They must have full hand and arm protection at the very least from sparks, flames, radiation, and molten metal. Welding gloves are usually elbow length and made of very heavy suede with thick flame retardant insulation.

Choosing the right leather work glove for you or your workers is simply a matter of understanding your options and their benefits. Leather work gloves offer durability, dexterity, flexibility, comfort and protection in a wide range of quality and costs to accommodate virtually every industrial job setting.

When looking for good quality leather work gloves, keep your eyes open for full or top grain leather. This is the highest quality leather and comes from the outside of the animal hide. This makes it more waterproof and durable.

Glove lining is nearly as important as the gloves themselves. If you are in a hotter climate it is may be important that you have no lining at all, but if you are in a colder area a lining can make all the difference in the world. Microfiber fleece is common as well as sheeps wool, gortex, and thinsulate. Goretex is the most waterproof of the liners but not very warm. Thinsulate is warm and breathable but will cost you some extra.

Work gloves with pockets for insertable hand warmers can be a life saver in cold climates. Also keep in mind, if dexterity is not an a concern, mittens keep your fingers together allowing your hands to stay warmer.

Grip

Hand injuries are the most common work related injuries and these injuries often happen when people take off their gloves to get a better grip. It is easy to see why grip is an important factor. If you are less likely to remove your gloves you are less likely to sustain an injury. Leather work gloves often have a fairly good grip because of the built in qualities of the leather but many other types of gloves do not have this same level of grip.

If you are buying work gloves made from anything except for leather look for extra padding in the palms, a high level of dexterity in the fingers, and any type of build in grip surface. This may be an added synthetic or a leather palm. Good grip will add functionality as well as durability to work gloves.

Work glove thumb construction

Our opposable thumbs make many things a cinch, you don’t want to loose your thumb. There are a couple types of thumb construction that add to functionality, safety, and comfort. The first is straight thumb. This is simply a technique which in which the thumb lies vertical to the wrist. It is the most simple form of construction and is good for gripping.

The next is the Key thumb. It means that the thumb is a separate attachment. This allows for more flexibility and natural range of motion. This make for a very comfortable functional glove, but you must be careful to check for seams.

The Wing thumb is the last we will discuss. This manufacturing process is a combination of the other two. The thumb leaves the glove at a diagonal angel and is still part of the main construction. There are fewer seams in this type of construction.

As I have said already. Figure out what you need gloves for and choose accordingly. Try on gloves and make sure they fit well and they are comfortable. It is important to get gloves that are not oversized, keep in mind that new work gloves will stretch out, a little smaller is better than oversized which can lead to accidents. Choose the right gloves and your hands will thank you later.