How to Select Cut-Resistant Safety Gloves

There’s a lot to consider when shopping for cut resistant gloves, but most importantly, they should protect your hands from cuts, scrapes, and other sharp hazards. To help you narrow your search, the American National Standards Institute/International Safety Equipment Association has created a clear set of guidelines that rate gloves based on their ability to protect your hands on the job. Use this guide to find the right safety gloves and PPE for the task at hand.

ANSI/ISEA Hand Protection Classification

The ANSI/ISEA classification assigns each type of glove a rating from 0 to 6 based on its resistance to various hazards in the workplace, including cut protection, puncture resistance, and abrasion resistance, chemical protection (permeation resistance, degradation) and other performance characteristics such as ignition resistance and vibration reductions. The group uses a single test method to make sure these ratings remain consistent from the end-user perspective.

Before purchasing a pair of cut-resistant gloves, evaluate the threat level and check the ANSI/ISEA rating to make sure the gloves offer adequate protection on the job.

Other Factors to Consider

There’s more to consider than just cut resistance when shopping for safety gloves and PPE. The gloves should fit securely over your hands without limiting your range of motion. You should be able to grasp objects and complete tasks without losing your grip.

The gloves should also keep you and your team warm on the job. Some gloves don’t leave a lot of room for hand warmers and extra layers, so it’s best to invest in a pair that keeps your hands at the perfect temperature.

Consider choosing gloves that are made with dense materials that lock in the heat. Comfort is also an important factor. Cotton safety gloves tend to be the softest, but they’re not the best when it comes to maintaining your grip, so be sure to balance your needs as you compare different sizes and styles.

Contact the professionals at PK Safety to find the right pair of cut-resistant gloves for your next project.