Knowing what work gloves to buy for your team is key to ensuring they are equipped for the necessary health & safety requirements. As a broad part of PPE, there’s a lot to consider: with many different environments, knowing which gloves best suit your needs can be difficult and the research is time consuming.
Ideally you’ll know what type of role you want your gloves to play: are they for hygiene purposes, protection and user safety, product preservation, comfort or for multiple of the above? With a range of materials and styles - some gloves will be better depending on the intended purpose.
Here’s our guide to help you find the best work gloves…
Disposable work gloves
Great choice for healthcare, food preparation and cleaning. They offer protection from contamination and are designed to be single use. You can buy them in a range of materials with different benefits and features - however most are thin and won’t offer much protection from abrasive chemicals or blades.
Heavy duty work gloves
If you’re looking for more protection and better durability, go for heavy duty materials. Again they can be made from a variety of materials and you can find task specific ones, like for use in construction or warehouse environments. If you’re handling lots of equipment, you want gloves that will last and be resistant to wear and tear.
Work gloves with grip
Working with grease and oil? Like many mechanics or construction workers - you’re working with materials that can detract from the grip on your equipment. Expensive machinery requires precision so knowing you have a solid grip on your tools helps!
Padded work gloves
Mostly used when you’re handling tools with increased exposure to vibration. They protect you from injury and can also be used in other heavy duty environments. For some tasks there may be strict health & safety requirements for materials and quality standards so be sure to keep checking so your knowledge is up to date and your team is adequately protected.
Fingerless work gloves
Usually used in environments where you need the agility and use of finger tips. They’re great for keeping you warm but still able to use touch screen instruments and technology, like in a warehouse.
Mechanic work gloves
For mechanics, you can get a range of gloves suited to the specific tasks you undertake - especially for handling small components of a larger machine where you need grip. They’re hard wearing and can offer protection in both wet and dry weather. Designed to be worn for prolonged periods of time, comfort is top of mind.
Weather-proof and water-proof work gloves
If you’re working outside, then waterproof gloves in the UK are essential. You can get different styles, some with padding, others with tight fit to prevent water from getting inside. They’re used for many lines of work, like gardening, construction and local authority roles.
Cut-resistant work gloves
If you’re using machinery that has blades or sharp knives, cut-resistant gloves may be necessary so be sure to check the latest health and safety requirements. There’s five levels of cut resistance offering different types of protection.
Chemical-resistant work gloves
These gloves cover more of the body than other typical gloves that often stop at the wrist. They’re designed to protect the wearer from spills, splashes and leaks when handling hazardous chemicals. Depending on the type of chemicals you handle, you’ll need to choose your materials carefully.
Electrical safety work gloves
If you frequently work with currents and electrical systems, electrical safety gloves or non-conductive gloves are a necessity. With close fitting materials to cling to the hand and fingers, they improve handling when working with machinery and electrical outputs. Some come cotton lined to improve comfort so if you’re wearing for extended periods of time it may be wise to invest in the extra comfort!
For more information on work gloves and available supplies, please contact our customer services team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
