*Disclaimer*The knowledge contained on this web page is for promotional and informational functions solely. All tools must be utilized by skilled skilled tradesmen who’ve been skilled tips on how to use the tools described on this web page, and perceive the dangers of their work. PowerPak assumes no duty for errors or omissions within the use or misuse of any product bought. In no occasion shall PowerPak be responsible for any direct, particular, oblique, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages in anyway, whether or not in an motion of contract, negligence or different torts, arising out of or in reference to using this data or the contents of this web page. PowerPak reserves the best to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents on this web page at any time with out prior discover.
While you see a glove marketed as “chemical-resistant,” you shouldn’t instantly put them on and begin dealing with acid-covered batteries or a butane tank. There are a whole lot of totally different chemical-resistant gloves, all made of various supplies. The kind of materials your gloves are manufactured from will dictate what chemical compounds these gloves are finest at resisting.
A number of the most typical gloves you’ll discover are manufactured from nitrile, neoprene, PVC, and latex. However these are just some examples. There are numerous extra choices. As onerous as we would attempt, we can not cowl each chemical-resistant glove choice on this article. We’ll do our greatest to cowl the favored supplies.
However, in any case, one of the simplest ways to method shopping for chemical-resistant gloves is first to find out what chemical compounds you’ll encounter. Then analysis what glove kind is finest for that particular hazard.
Forms of Chemical-Resistant Gloves
Let’s first break down some widespread chemical-resistant glove supplies and study how they differ.
Nitrile
What higher place to start out than with the preferred and generally discovered choices? Nitrile gloves are widespread as each disposable and reusable work gloves. Bulk portions of disposable nitrile gloves are sometimes utilized in operations that require chemical safety and don’t require a excessive degree of abrasion resistance. Examples embrace; processing amenities, meals dealing with, mild automotive, and every other scenario the place discarding the gloves after use is extra environment friendly than frequently reusing them. Like several disposable glove, you’ll have a handful of options to base your choice on—measurement, thickness, and grip.
In different conditions, like development involving gasoline dealing with, heavy automotive work, or any work with reduce hazards, it might make extra sense to make use of a high quality pair of nitrile palm-dipped work gloves. Work gloves include an enormous vary of options, so deciding which glove to go together with may be tough. Options embrace reduce resistance (ANSI and EN), thermal insulation, totally different glove grip textures, sizes, and lots of different choices.
Nitrile is nice at resisting gasoline, diesel, oil, epoxy, turpentine, kerosene, and lots of different chemical compounds. It’s necessary to examine what chemical compounds you may be dealing with and analysis if nitrile is an effective choice. Since nitrile is nice at resisting turpentine and kerosene, you would possibly assume that nitrile is an effective choice for lacquer thinners. It’s not. Nitrile performs poorly when uncovered to lacquer thinners. Don’t assume something when dealing with chemical compounds.

Neoprene
Gloves coated in neoprene are slightly extra specialised in comparison with nitrile gloves. Neoprene gloves are usually bulkier and never sensible to be used when they’re pointless. In case you are unfamiliar with neoprene, it’s the fabric used to make SCUBA fits and mousepads (again when these have been a factor). As you possibly can think about, neoprene is waterproof, which aids in its total chemical resistance.
Most neoprene gloves are bigger than the typical glove. Normally, they embrace an prolonged cuff or a gauntlet that extends to your elbow. They’re widespread for jobs that profit from a glove that may be washed. Agriculture employees usually use neoprene gloves when spraying pesticides. The gloves defend the employees’ arms, and when accomplished, the employee washes the gloves in soapy water earlier than eradicating them.
Neoprene gives glorious reduce and abrasion resistance. They’re nice for development duties like mixing cement or cleansing with aggressive chemical compounds. Plumbers utilizing drain cleaners with excessive concentrations of sodium hydroxide also needs to use neoprene gloves.
The opposite huge benefit neoprene has over most different glove supplies is its weather-resistant. Direct daylight doesn’t degrade neoprene. That is likely one of the huge causes it’s used for SCUBA fits. So, neoprene gloves are an excellent choice when dealing with chemical compounds outside, corresponding to agriculture and highway development.

PVC
Just like neoprene gloves, PVC-coated gloves are on the bulkier aspect. These gloves are water resistant and defend the wearer from grease, oils, acids, caustics chemical compounds, and solvents.
An insulated glove dipped in orange PVC is a well-liked hand safety choice for a lot of highway employees, particularly throughout winter. The intense orange gives additional visibility for passing motorists. The insulation retains the employees’ arms heat. The PVC coatings stay versatile, even when chilly, and PVC is water-resistant.
In case you don’t want hi-vis orange gloves, black PVC gloves are an excellent choice for greasy environments to chemical dealing with.
When on the lookout for PVC gloves, you would possibly come throughout chip-finish gloves, don’t freak out. Chip end PVC gloves are not like every other glove we’ve talked about. They’re triple-dipped in PVC and spray-coated with large-course chips. This offers these gloves a whole lot of gripping energy, which makes them widespread with plumbers and employees dealing with slippery ropes or strains. As you possibly can think about, these gloves will not be preferrred for delicate jobs.

Latex
Latex gloves are a much less widespread choice within the development and utility business. Latex gloves are primarily disposable gloves. Years in the past, disposable latex gloves have been the go-option when single-use gloves have been wanted. Safety from illness and meals security have been two of the most important makes use of for disposable latex gloves. With the rise in latex allergy symptoms, nitrile rapidly grew in reputation. Nitrile gloves are higher at stopping blood-borne pathogens, which makes them a wonderful choice for first-aid kits, and most nitrile gloves are meals protected.
Don’t fear, the solar hasn’t set on disposable latex gloves but. The large benefit that latex nonetheless gives is you will discover very thick and sturdy latex choices. In case you are ripping via pairs of 8mil nitrile gloves, you would possibly profit from a thicker, extra sturdy 13mil latex glove.
Latex isn’t restricted to simply disposable gloves. Increasingly more, you will discover palm-coated gloves with latex gloves. Our ROCKLAND RX13 gloves are one in every of our most widespread work glove choices, they usually characteristic a crinkle grip latex palm. So, though we’ve seen a lower in latex glove choices available on the market, latex nonetheless stays a powerful choice.
Size and Thickness
When working with chemical compounds, glove size issues for apparent causes. You don’t need harmful chemical compounds splashing onto your arms. You’ll need a longer glove when working with hazardous chemical compounds. When working with low-hazard chemical compounds and oils or when splash isn’t a threat, wrist-length gloves can be simply nice.
In case you are in a scenario the place you want a protracted pair of chemical-resistant gloves, neoprene is probably going your finest wager. You’ll need to examine that neoprene protects from the precise chemical compounds you might be working with, but when it does, you possibly can simply discover lengthy pairs of neoprene gloves.
Glove thickness is normally solely marketed on disposable gloves. Underneath 4mil is taken into account mild responsibility. For probably the most half, these aren’t appropriate for development. Between 5-6mil are medium-duty gloves. A superb pair of 5 or 6mil disposable gloves are one of the best routes for many disposable glove customers. They’re sturdy. They maintain as much as abrasion. They arrive with totally different grip choices, together with textured fingertips. The fee-to-durability ratio for medium-duty disposable gloves makes them so widespread. Employees will usually double-layer the gloves once they require additional safety.
Gloves which are 7mil or extra are thought-about heavy-duty. Thick gloves are widespread on abatement initiatives or conditions the place the PPE must be discarded after use however nonetheless must be sturdy. The opposite huge benefit of a thicker glove is, taking them off and again on is simpler. Consider an automotive employee. They placed on the gloves to do a activity. Then they may must take away the gloves to do one thing else. If the gloves aren’t coated in oil or grim, the employee can put those self same gloves again on. Thinner gloves are tough to tackle and off with out ripping.
Grip and Texture

When on the lookout for gloves, you’re going to see a whole lot of grip and texture choices. These choices embrace crinkle grip, dot grip, sandy coating, and lots of others. You’ll possible see a whole lot of data on the market that particular grips are higher than others or somebody developed one of the best grip texture of all time. The factor to recollect is all grip textures serve the identical objective, to enhance the gripping functionality of the gloves.
Consider the grip texture as the identical as tire tread and tread patterns. Sure tire treads provide you with rather more traction than others, however snow tires don’t work nice within the mud, mud tires don’t work nice within the sand, and so forth. And the treads that provide the finest traction efficiency normally lower your gasoline mileage. So, there’s a give and take. The identical applies to glove grip textures. Chances are you’ll acquire some additional gripping energy, however you would possibly lose some dexterity or consolation.
And once more, very like tires, glove grip textures come down to non-public choice. So, check out a couple of totally different grip choices, and also you’ll be fast.
Defend Your Employees With Chemical Resistant Gloves from PowerPak
One of the best takeaway right here is to base your glove-buying choice on the chemical compounds you’ll be dealing with. Beginning off by assessing your hazards will assist dictate a whole lot of the choices you make past chemical-resistant gloves.
When you’ve discovered what you want, you’ll want to go to us at PowerPak.internet to position an order, and for those who’re having hassle deciding, give us a name. We’re all the time glad to assist.
*Disclaimer*The knowledge contained on this web page is for promotional and informational functions solely. All tools must be utilized by skilled skilled tradesmen who’ve been skilled tips on how to use the tools described on this web page, and perceive the dangers of their work. PowerPak assumes no duty for errors or omissions within the use or misuse of any product bought. In no occasion shall PowerPak be responsible for any direct, particular, oblique, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages in anyway, whether or not in an motion of contract, negligence or different torts, arising out of or in reference to using this data or the contents of this web page. PowerPak reserves the best to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents on this web page at any time with out prior discover.