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Guide to Cut Resistant Gloves Use and Selection

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Cut resistant gloves are specially designed to give hands the best protection from direct contact with sharp edges such as glass, metal, ceramics and other materials. Cut resistance is a function of the material composition and thickness of the glove. You can increase your cut protection by increasing the weight of the material (i.e. ounces per square yard), using high-performance materials such as Spectra®, Kevlar®, etc., or by using composite yarns made with varying combinations of fiberglass, stainless steel, and synthetic or high-performance yarns.

Performance characteristics are also affected by the materials' weight and the coatings on the outside surface. Lightweight styles are usually more flexible, resulting in less hand fatigue; however, the heavier styles will typically provide the wearer with more cut and abrasion protection. Gloves with exterior coating can enhance grip, especially on slippery surfaces. However, some coated gloves may not be appropriate for food handling applications.

Characteristics of Cut Resistant Fibers and Materials

• Spectra Fiber—Ultra-high molecular-weight polyethylene fiber that offers high cut resistance, even when wet. It is ten times stronger than steel per unit weight.
• Kevlar® Aramid Fiber—Inherently flame resistant, it only begins to char at 800°F (427°C). The Kevlar fiber thread is used to sew seams on temperature-resistant gloves. It is five times stronger than steel per unit weight.
• Fiber-Metal Blends—Numerous durable, cut resistant gloves are made of a woven fabric blend of Spectra, Kevlar and stainless steel.
• Metal Mesh—Interlocked stainless steel mesh offers advanced cut and puncture protection due to its superior strength.
• SuperFabric®—Combinations of the number of layers, substrates, surface coatings, thickness, etc., create fabrics which have varying levels of puncture, cut and abrasion resistance, grip and flexibility. Tactile surface offers enhanced grip of wet and oily surfaces.

Applications and Glove Selection

• Metal Mesh gloves are extremely cut and abrasion resistant. They are often used in meat/poultry applications.
• Steel Core gloves are cut and abrasion resistant. They are often used for handling glass, meat/poultry processing, metal fabrication, automotive manufacturing, as well as in the paper industry.
• Spectra gloves are often lightweight, flexible, and cut and abrasion resistant. They are used for food processing, appliance assembly, food service, automotive assembly and in the paper industry.
• Vectran gloves are made offiber materials that are flexible, offer mid-level heat protection, and are cut and abrasion resistant. This glove material is often used in the rubber industry, as well as for metal handling and plastic manufacturing.
• Kevlar gloves offer cut and heat resistance. It is generally a lightweight, flexible material that is used for various applications relating to glass handling, sheet metal handling and automotive assembly.

There are several different glove materials on the market that are used for many different applications and have a variety of performance characteristics.

Although the above materials are known to provide exceptional protection, any glove material will offer some level of cut resistance. DUPONT manufacturing performed a cut resistance test, called Cut Protection Performance Test (CPPT), comparing leather, cotton, standard Kevlar and Kevlar Plus materials. The results showed that the Kevlar Plus outperformed the standard Kevlar, leather and cotton materials. They also found that standard Kevlar had the next best results followed by cotton and then leather.

Manufacturers usually use the ASTM F-1790 standard for measuring the performance of cut protection apparel. This test method uses force-distance testers to determine how resistant a material is to cuts when exposed to a cutting edge under a specific load. This method provides data to differentiate the level of cut resistance between common materials such as cotton, leather and high performance fibers. Results are provided in grams of weight to the fabric as tested.

Another testing agency which rates the cut resistance of a fabric is ANSI / ISEA (American National Standards Institute/International Safety Equipment Association). Their classification levels for cut resistance are as follows:

Level I > 200 grams
Level II > 500 grams
Level III > 1000 grams
Level IV > 1500 grams
Level V > 3500 grams

Currently, there are no higher levels.

Hand Protection and Loss Control

According to the Ansell Edmont manufacturing website:

• The average insurance compensation for OSHA recordable hand and finger injuries is approximately $3856.00
• The average medical payment is approximately $2600.00
• There are approximately 439,000 disabling hand and finger injuries a year, which equates to an annual cumulative cost in the millions.

Although there are no OSHA regulations specific to cut resistant gloves, OSHA 1910.138(a) and 1910.138 (b) does pertain to hand protection:

General requirements — Employers must select and require employees to use proper hand protection when employees' hands are exposed to hazardous conditions, such as severe cuts or lacerations, punctures, absorption of harmful substances into the skin, severe abrasions, thermal burns, chemical burns, and harmful temperature extremes.

Selection — Employers shall base their selection of suitable hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, duration of use, conditions present, and the hazards and potential hazards identified.

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. Do cut resistant gloves offer good puncture resistance?
A. Many cut resistant gloves are manufactured to protect hands from being slashed by sharp objects like knives/blades. However, they may provide very little or no puncture resistance from a pointed item, such as a needle.

Q. Should cut resistant gloves be used to protect one from cuts from powered/mechanical equipment like powered saws and drills?
A. Most manufacturers of cut resistant gloves do not recommend using them for protection against powered devices. Gloves are normally tested for use with non-powered blades and sharps only. The use of a glove with powered equipment could potentially harm an individual. If the glove gets caught on a moving blade, it could pull a person into moving machinery. Moving machine parts have the potential to cause severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands, burns, amputations, or blindness. Safeguards are crucial for protecting workers from these unnecessary and preventable injuries. Any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury must be safeguarded, especially when the operation of or accidental contact with a machine can injure the operator or others in the vicinity. These hazards must be controlled or, if possible, eliminated.

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Please Note: The information contained in this publication is intended for general information purposes only. This publication is not a substitute for review of the applicable government regulations and standards, and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. Readers with specific questions should refer to the cited regulation or consult with an attorney.