OSHA mandates in 29 CFR 1910.138 that employers ensure their employees use appropriate hand protection where there is workplace exposure to hazards such as chemical burns or severe cuts and lacerations. It also mandates that such selection be based on an evaluation of performance characteristics of hand protection relative to the tasks being performed.

According to the “American National Standard for Hand Protection Selection Criteria,” ANSI/ISEA 105-2005, based on a hazard assessment, the employer must select appropriate and properly fitting PPE, including gloves, for use by affected employees. That employee must be trained in the proper use of that PPE, too, and be retrained when necessary.

“The past practice of rating work gloves’ protection level as ‘good, fair or poor’ created inconsistencies among glove manufacturers in rating their gloves’ ability to provide protection,” said ISEA Technical Director Janice Comer Bradley, CSP. “This standard provides a consistent, ‘numeric scale’ method for manufacturers to rate their products against certain contaminants and exposures. With classification based on this scale, users can make better-informed decisions about which gloves are suitable for which tasks.”

Glove performance and pass/fail criteria are included for the following hazardous exposures: cut, puncture and abrasion resistance; protection from cold; chemical permeation and degradation; detection of holes; and heat and flame resistance.

The OSHA standard does not reference any standard that provides design or performance specifications for appropriate gloves; however, ANSI/ISEA 105-2005, urges employers to know the performance characteristics of the gloves they are considering by obtaining documentation from the manufacturer that the gloves meet “appropriate test standards for the hazards anticipated.”

The selection of gloves should account for a number of factors. These factors may include:
• Performance properties (as needed for protection against specific hazards);
• Durability (retention of performance properties with use);
• Human factors (fit, function, and comfort); and
• Cost.

The significance given each factor will depend on the needs of the application and relative hazards involved.

Ideally, gloves are selected that yield the highest performance while still allowing the wearer to perform their job unencumbered. However, in most cases, there are tradeoffs between protection and glove function and comfort.

Therefore, the selection of gloves must account for an understanding of both the hazards and risks in the workplace and the performance features and characteristics of gloves.

A recommended approach for choosing work gloves includes the following steps:

1. Conduct a hazard and risk assessment of the workplace or setting where hand protection is needed:

a. Identify the hazards present;

b. Assess the likelihood of worker exposure to the identified hazards; and

c. Assess the possible consequences of exposure to the identified hazards;

d. Determine the relative risk of each hazard present and those risks that warrant the use of some form of hand protection.

The hazard and risk assessment may be performed by a survey of the work place, interviews with workers, or a review of worker injuries.

2. Match performance properties in the standard and other sources to those hazards where the risk requires some form of hand protection. Decide on the appropriate performance level for those selected properties.

a. In general, higher performance levels may be needed for situations where severe risks are encountered, while lower performance levels might be suitable for situations where a low risk has been determined.

b. Past experience with the use of gloves may provide insight for determining what performance levels are appropriate when the respective performance level of current or previous gloves is determined and compared with the performance levels for other gloves.

3. Consider hand protection features that are needed for the application in terms of length (or areas of coverage), type of cuff, surface finish, and any other attributes affecting function or comfort.

a. Glove length or areas of coverage should be based on the amount of the hand and arm that may be exposed to workplace hazards.

b. Cuffs or gauntlets should be selected taking into account the workplace hazards, need to interface with protective clothing, and potential for substances entering through the top of the glove.

c. The type of surface finish should be selected based on the handling environment where the hand protection will be used.

4. Choose the glove that offers the optimum combination of features and performance against the identified hazards requiring some form of hand protection.

5. Select gloves of the appropriate size that provides the right fit, function, and comfort for the application. Glove suitability may be determined in exercises where workers evaluate how well gloves provide needed protection, comfort, and functionality in activities simulating use.

6. Periodically reevaluate the choice of the glove to determine if appropriate protection, function, and comfort are being offered.

As required by OSHA, each employer should evaluate the specific hazards and risks for each application and decide on appropriate hand protection, if necessary. Whenever possible, glove selections should be based on performance data. However, it is equally important that selected gloves provide sufficient comfort and functionality. FSM