Best Work Gloves for Hand Safety & Cut Protection

Choosing Between Heavy- & Light-Duty PPE Gloves for Surveying, Construction & More

No matter what type of work you do, it is important to have the right safety gear for the job at hand. Choosing the right work gloves may seem like a simple enough task, but not all gloves are created equal. Work gloves are made from a variety of different materials with different levels of abrasion and cut resistance. So, how do you choose the best gloves to protect your hands on the job?

In this article, we will review the basics of cut protection and safety glove standards. Once you have a better understanding of work safety standards, you will be fully equipped to make the right choice for yourself based on the type of work you do.

Cut Resistance and Safety Standards

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cuts, lacerations, and punctures account for nearly 44% of reported hand injuries. In many of these cases, the victim was not wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) or was wearing the wrong PPE. When it comes to choosing the right work gloves, one of the biggest things to consider is cut resistance.

There are two primary global standards used to evaluate the cut resistance of work gloves: ANSI/ISEA 105 (the U.S. Standard) and EN 388 (the European Standard). These standards were updated in 2015-2016 to improve consistency between the different standards and to reduce gaps in protection levels. Both standards test work gloves to determine their level of protection from the following risks:

• Abrasion resistance
• Cut resistance
• Tear resistance
• Puncture resistance

In order to test work gloves to determine the level of cut protection, ANSI/ISEA 105 uses a Tomodynamometer (TDM-100) machine. The glove materials are tested under three weights to achieve five cut-through distances (measured in mm). The average of the three tests is given in grams with a rating that ranges from 200g to 6,000g of cut resistance. This is known as the TDM-100 score and it is generally referenced in product information as A1 through A9.

Overview of Different Work Gloves

Before you start shopping around for work gloves, you should know what the options are. Work gloves range from light-duty fabric gloves designed simply to keep your hands clean all the way to heavy-duty liquid- and chemical-resistant gloves.

Here is a quick overview of some of the different work gloves you might consider:

• Fabric Gloves – Gloves made from cotton or other fabrics are generally light-duty gloves, intended primarily to keep your hands clean and to protect against minor abrasions.
• Coated Fabric Gloves – Depending on the coating, these gloves can provide additional protection against certain chemicals or corrosive materials.
• Rubber, Plastic, or Synthetic – These gloves are typically worn when working with oils, solvents, and other chemicals or when using cleaning products.
• Leather Gloves – Typically worn when welding, these gloves minimize the risk of cuts and abrasions as well as injury from sparks and heat.
• Aluminized Gloves – Also used for welding, aluminized gloves are ideal for furnace and foundry work as well because they provide both reflective and insulating protection.
• Kevlar Gloves – These gloves are both cut and abrasion-resistant in addition to providing protection against both heat and cold.
• Chemical/Liquid-Resistant Gloves – These protect against specific chemicals and examples include butyl rubber gloves, natural latex gloves, neoprene gloves, and nitrile rubber gloves.

Again, the type of work gloves you choose should be determined by the type of work you do. If you work with chemicals or liquids, for example, nitrile rubber gloves or natural latex gloves would be a better choice than cotton. Once you have determined the best type of work gloves for your job, read on to see some of our top picks for the best work gloves.

The Top Work Gloves for Hand Safety

Protecting your hands against workplace hazards is vital. While some minor injuries can be treated with little more than a bandage, severe injuries may result in more extensive treatment and lost workdays.

Here are our top picks for some of the top heavy-duty work gloves:

• HexArmor Helix 1090 Nylon/Elastane Nitrile Grip Glove – Made with a high-performance 15-gauge nylon/elastane blend shell featuring 360° cut protection, these gloves have you covered in any working condition. They have an ANSI/ISEA A1 level of cut protection with a gram score of 302.
• HexArmor Rig Lizard Arctic 2023 Cut 3 Palm + IR-X Impact Glove – In addition to protecting against workplace hazards, these gloves also offer cold weather protection. They are waterproof and thermal-resistant without sacrificing dexterity and have an ANSI/ISEA A3 level of cut protection with a gram score of 1,040.
• HexArmor The Hex1 2125 Leather Palm Light Impact Glove – If you need a lightweight pair of work gloves, these are made with the same high-quality materials as HexArmor’s high-performance safety gloves but they feel offer the maximum in tactile comfort and dexterity.
• HexArmor Leather Impact 4080 Leather + Cut A8 Palm Glove – Featuring SuperFabric brand material to provide ISEA level A8 cut resistance, these gloves offer the highest level of protection in the industry, over 5,000 grams of protection. They also feature a goatskin leather palm for comfort and grip.
• HexArmor Helix Cold Weather Sandy Nitrile 360 Cut Protection Glove – These gloves feature a 13-gauge acrylic and fiberglass blend shell with a cut-resistant fabric liner offering 360° cut protection. They also have a fleece lining for warmth and insulation but offer an impressive ANSI/ISEA A6 level of cut protection.

Here are some additional picks for more light-duty work gloves:

• Mustang Grain Leather Palm Glove – Featuring a premium grain cowhide leather palm, these work gloves offer superior durability and dexterity for all applications including surveying, construction, steel, and ironwork.
• Red Steer Cut Resistant Polyurethane Glove – These lightweight gloves are cut, puncture, and snag resistant and feature a polyurethane palm for added abrasion resistance. They offer 13-gauge Cut Level 3 protection.
• HexArmor SteelLeather Driver Glove – More than your typical driver’s glove, these gloves feature innovative industrial puncture protection to increase durability without sacrificing dexterity. They are made with SuperFabric material to ensure the highest cut-resistance available, ISEA Level A6 and CE Level 5.
• Ansell Neox Neoprene Fleece Jersey Lined Glove – These gloves offer broad-spectrum chemical resistance with a cotton lining to enhance puncture and snag resistance. They have curved fingers and a wing thumb for a natural fit and improved comfort.

When shopping for work gloves, it is important to consider the risks of your specific line of work. Choose the type of gloves best suited to the workplace hazards you encounter and select the highest ANSI/ISEA rating you can. Your safety is well worth the cost to purchase high-quality work safety gloves.