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"How to Choose Heat-Resistant Gloves"
Every one of us has experienced burns at some point in our lives, and we all know how uncomfortable they can be. Let those minor burns remind us of the potential devastation a severe burn could bring. Over the years, there have been countless statistics on workplace burn injuries, and many heart-wrenching stories from burn victims urging us to take heat hazards more seriously.
Assuming you're reading this article, it's safe to say you're serious about preventing burns and learning more about how to stay safe. After all, the best way to deal with burns is to avoid them altogether. There are various types of burn prevention personal protective equipment (PPE), but today, we're focusing specifically on heat-resistant gloves. Let’s dive right in.
"What Are Heat Resistant Gloves?"
The first thing to note when considering heat-resistant gloves is that they aren't completely heatproof. There's no such thing as heatproof. Heat-resistant gloves provide protection up to a certain point, and that point is determined by their rating. We'll delve into ratings later.
It's important to remember that heat-resistant doesn't mean fire-resistant. While some heat-resistant gloves are fire-resistant, many are not. Again, always check the product information and ratings to determine if your gloves are fire-resistant as well.
So, what exactly are heat-resistant gloves? They are gloves designed to help protect you from burns and to minimize the severity of a burn if it cannot be avoided. None of us start our workday with the intention of getting burned, but accidents happen, and having the right PPE can make a significant difference in the outcome. For instance, a second-degree burn is much better than a third-degree burn or worse.
One of the most important lessons about PPE is to never assume anything. Always check the ratings and make sure your equipment is suited for the hazards you'll encounter. Don't assume a pair of gloves are heat-resistant just because they look like they should be. Heat-resistant gloves can come in all shapes and sizes. Welding gloves might be the first thing that comes to mind, but you can also find regular-looking work gloves that are heat-resistant.
"Different Types of Heat-Resistant Gloves"
The process for selecting the right pair of heat-resistant gloves is the same as choosing any other PPE. You should always start by assessing the hazard and work backward from there. You might think you've already identified that the hazard is heat. That's correct, but you'll need to be more specific. Consider the type of heat, the level of heat, and any additional requirements you may have to operate safely.
"What Type of Heat Will You Be Exposed To?"
This is the simplest place to start and likely the easiest question for you to answer. Here are some possibilities:
- **Contact Heat:** Will you be directly touching something hot? This might involve handling hot objects.
- **Convectional Heat:** Will you be exposed to environments where the surrounding air is dangerously hot?
- **Radiant Heat:** Will your hands be near a heat source that emits radiation? This is similar to convectional heat, and often both hazards occur together.
- **Splashes and Spills:** Is there a possibility that extremely hot liquids or molten materials could splash onto your hands?
You don't have to choose just one of these options. Often, workers are exposed to multiple hazards simultaneously, or you might just need a versatile pair of gloves to handle a variety of tasks.
Once you've identified your hazards, you'll need to determine the level of each hazard. By level, we mean temperature. If you have a pair of gloves rated to protect up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit, and you pick up a metal rod that's been heated to 400 degrees, you will get burned. Determine the maximum temperatures for all the hazards you'll be exposed to.
Finally, you'll need to know if you require additional features or limitations for your gloves. For example, if you're TIG welding, you need heat protection, but you also need dexterity. If you're working with sharp objects, you may need cut resistance along with heat protection. Consider all the factors and ensure you're looking for the right pair of gloves.
Once you have all that information, it’s fairly straightforward to find gloves that meet those specifications. Especially if you're looking for gloves that meet the EN407 standard, all you need to do is know what individual protection levels you need and then look for a glove with an EN 407 badge that matches.
"How to Understand EN407 Ratings"
When searching for the perfect pair of heat-resistant gloves, the EN407 standard is invaluable. It's a small badge that provides a wealth of useful information. However, if you don't know what you're looking at, the badge can be quite confusing.
Let's break it down. There are two different EN407 badge icons. If the icon includes a flame, it means the gloves are flame-resistant rated. Any FR product is important to understand that FR doesn't mean the PPE is fireproof. It means it's designed to self-extinguish faster than traditional materials, and it will help prevent the spread of flames. The gloves can still ignite, and you can still get burned, but the FR protection on the glove will reduce the severity of the burn.
If the badge has a set of curved lines, that means the glove has not been rated for flame resistance and is only rated for non-flame heat resistance.
Flame Resistance is the first digit. As mentioned earlier, even if the gloves are rated as a four, that doesn't mean the gloves are fireproof. It means they will very effectively limit the spread of flames and quickly self-extinguish.
During the test, the glove material is exposed to flame.
- Self-extinguishing within 15 seconds earns a level one rating.
- Self-extinguishing within 10 seconds earns a level two rating.
- Self-extinguishing within three seconds earns a level three rating.
- Self-extinguishing within two seconds earns a level four rating.
Contact Heat is the second digit. This testing method requires the glove material to be in contact with set temperatures. The temperature shift on the opposite side of the fabric is monitored, and if the shift is less than 50 degrees Celsius within 15 seconds, the glove is awarded the rating for that temperature level.
- 100°C is level one.
- 250°C is level two.
- 350°C is level three.
- 500°C is level four.
For example, a glove material can be tested by placing it in contact with a surface preheated to 350 degrees Celsius. After 15 seconds, if the inside surface of the glove material does not increase by 50 degrees Celsius, that glove will be awarded a level three for contact heat.
Convective Heat is the third digit under the badge. For this test, the front and back of the glove are exposed to heat from an open flame. The inside temperature of the glove is monitored and timed on how long it takes it to shift 24 degrees Celsius.
- If it takes four seconds for the glove interior to increase by 24°C, the glove is awarded a level one.
- More than seven seconds awards a level two.
- More than 10 seconds awards a level three.
- And more than 18 seconds awards a level four for convective heat protection.
Under the badge are six digits. Each digit represents a different testing standard for heat protection. All test standards under EN407 are rated between one and four, with four being the best and X representing "no rating."
Radiant Heat is the fourth digit. This test is similar to convective, but with the radiant heat test, only the back of the glove is tested against the heat from a radiant source rather than an open flame.
Similarly, the internal temperature of the glove is monitored and timed on how long it takes it to shift 24 degrees Celsius.
- If it takes seven seconds for the glove interior to increase by 24°C, the glove is awarded a level one.
- More than 20 seconds awards a level two.
- More than 50 seconds awards a level three.
- And more than 1 minute and 35 seconds awards a level four for convective heat protection.
Small Splashes of Molten Metal Resistance is the fifth digit. In this test, small droplets of molten metal are dripped onto a glove sample. The temperature of the opposite side of the sample is monitored. The number of droplets is counted in the amount of time it takes the opposite side to increase by 40 degrees Celsius.
- A total of 10 droplets before the temperature rises by 40°C awards a level one.
- Fifteen droplets awards a level two.
- Twenty-five droplets awards a level three.
- And 35 droplets awards a level four resistance to small splashes of molten metal.
Large Splashes of Molten Metal Resistance is the sixth and final digit. In this test, a material that is similar to human skin is placed under a glove sample. A measured amount of molten metal is poured onto the sample. The larger amount the glove can resist before damaging the skin, the higher the rating it will be awarded.
- Resisting 30 grams of poured molten metal awards a level one rating.
- Sixty grams is level two.
- One hundred twenty grams is level three.
- And protecting the synthetic skin from 200 grams of poured molten metal awards a level four.
It’s important to remember that not all gloves will be rated in all of these categories, and you’ll often see ratings that look like this, X2XXXX. Meaning the glove was only tested/rated for contact heat.
"Applying this Information When Glove Shopping"
With this knowledge, hopefully, you can see how simple glove shopping can be. Once you assess the hazard type and hazard level, all you have to do is find a pair of gloves with an EN407 rating to match.
PowerPak offers a wide variety of work gloves that offer protections beyond EN 407. Be sure to visit our website and check out our selection.
By understanding these ratings and knowing what to look for, you can make informed decisions about which gloves are best suited for your needs. Stay safe and informed!