Types of Gloves

Four general types of gloves are:

• Leather, canvas, metal mesh: protect against physical hazards (punctures, cuts and burns)
• Insulating rubber: protect against electrical hazards
• Fabric and coated fabric: protect against chafing, abrasions, slivers, and so on
• Chemical and liquid resistant: protect against chemicals or liquids, based on the type of exposure (splash, immersion, and so on)

Stainless steel mesh and Kevlar gloves can protect against cuts and lacerations. Kevlar also protects against abrasions.

Insulating rubber gloves minimize exposure to electrical hazards; refer to CFR 1910.137 for specific information.

For chemical and liquid protection, gloves can be made out of materials such as:

• Norfoil, a laminate that resists permeation and breakthrough by an array of toxic and hazardous chemicals.
• Butyl, or synthetic rubber, provides the highest permeation resistance to gas or water vapors (often used for chemicals called ketones and esters).
• Viton provides extensive resistance to permeation by chlorinated and aromatic solvent chemicals.

Nitrile provides protection against a wide variety of solvents, harsh chemicals, fats, and petroleum products; also is resistant to cuts, snags, punctures, and abrasions.

Latex, or natural rubber, provides protection against water solutions of acids, alkalis, salts, and ketones, as well as some biological hazards (blood and other potentially infectious materials).

To learn more about PPE visit our Personal Protective Equipment Online Training web page.