There are almost 500,000 work-related hand accidents each year, many of which are related to cuts, often with irreversible consequences. To protect both hands at work, it is vital to use PPE adapted to the handling of tools and sharp objects (cutters, circular saws, grinders, chainsaws, etc.). The Cut protection glove is a protective second skin that protects against the risks of cuts that are associated with many industrial and food sectors. These cut protection gloves are designed with different types of materials (high-performance synthetic fibres, metallic filaments, etc.) in order to offer maximum safety for the hands against cuts, abrasion and puncture, depending on the use. Working with glass, wood, metal, waste, etc., the risks are numerous and require appropriate cut resistance.
Specific pictograms indicate the level of protection of each pair of mechanical protective gloves. They must comply with European standards. The EN 388 standard is applicable to protective gloves against mechanical risks. There are several types of resistance to mechanical aggression, including one specific to blade cut resistance; a level from 1 to 5 is attributed according to the number of cycles required to cut the glove, without a constant force.
Today, for efficient protection against hand cuts, this standard is evolving towards the ISO 13997 reference. This standard measures the resistance of cut protection glove materials using a tomodynamometer (TDM). The higher the number of newtons, the more resistant the safety glove is to cutting. A marking on the glove indicates the level of performance, rated from A to F.
Each profession has its own cut protection work gloves. The variety of materials used in protective gloves makes it possible to adapt to different uses. Pruning, logging, ceramic assembly, glass collection, paper and cardboard handling, precision work: hands must benefit from appropriate individual protection, with the assurance of great comfort and flexibility for excellent dexterity.
In addition to the “classic” cut-resistant glove that meets the general requirements, additional features such as resistance to contact or radiant heat and molten metal splashes are added. Moreover, technology is being incorporated into cut resistant gloves that can be touch sensitive for touch screen devices, without the need to remove them.
Seamless, equipped with reinforcements, elastic cuffs, and at the right size, cut resistant gloves have one objective: high resistance all the way to the fingertips, in complete safety.