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July 15, 2015

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Safety gloves: which coating for which task?

With a wide range of coatings now available, safety gloves are more advanced than ever before. Each coating is designed with a specific task in mind and can provide the user with the ideal grip needed for certain jobs, depending on the environment they are working in. In this blog, we take a look at what coatings are available and where users would find them most useful.

Polyurethane (PU)

A very popular coating, Polyurethane is breathable, flexible and lightweight. Not only does it provide good grip in dry conditions, it offers excellent dexterity for touch-sensitive tasks whilst stopping dirt from entering the glove material.

Our TG520 Exact has a polyurethane coating, which makes it an ideal glove for fine tasks that also need cut level 5 protection, such as automotive, maintenance and construction jobs. Polyurethane is also a suitable coating for tasks involving electronics, telecommunications, precision work and fine product assembly work.

Flat Nitrile

A durable and flexible coating, nitrile is a coating that offers significant resistance to abrasions and water, and is also inherently oil resistant. It offers excellent grip in dry conditions, and offers good dexterity and tactile sensitivity. Nitrile is ideal for many construction tasks involving pipe work, maintenance and transport.

At TraffiGlove, we have incorporated nitrile in a number of our gloves. The TG135 Tough for example incorporates nitrile, making it a comfortable, lightweight glove. It has level 2 puncture resistance and can be used in wet and dry conditions, due to the moisture resistant nitrile coating on the palm and fingers.

Natural Rubber

Natural rubber delivers excellent grip in dry and wet conditions, while still providing comfort and flexibility. Natural rubber is a proven efficient product for rugged environments, such as ground working.

TraffiGlove’s TG165 Motion glove utilises natural rubber technology delivering a lightweight glove with level 4 tear resistance. It is ideal for a host of tasks across many industries, in wet or dry conditions.

Aerotek

Aerotek is an innovative foam coating that is very flexible. It is durable and comfortable whilst offering great grip in dry, wet and oily conditions. Aerotek provides comfort via its lightweight, breathable and soft-to-the-touch mechanics.

Ideal for warehousing, light engineering, haulage and transport, Aerotekcoating is present on our cut level 3 TG370 Stamina glove.

SoFlex 

SoFlexis a very durable, foamed nitrile coating that provides good grip in wet, dry and mildly oily conditions. It has an anti-wet treatment, providing full water resistance and ideal comfort in cold conditions, making it a perfect choice for waste and recycling jobs, alongside utilities and civil engineering.

Appearing on our cut level 1 glove, TG180 Active, SoFlexhas a very durable yet comfortable coating and offers a good alternative to leather.

Cohesion™ XP

Providing protection and excellent grip in dry and oily environments, Cohesion XP coating is ideal for wet work due to its good grip mechanics. Lasting longer than rubber, it boasts an extended life meaning gloves last longer and as a result, delivers real cost saving benefits.

What’s more, the coating does not leave fingerprint marks on uncoated glass, making it ideal for manufacturing and glass handling tasks. With these qualities, Cohesion XP is a great choice for tasks involving groundwork, construction, waste and recycling and jobs in harsh environments.

Here at TraffiGlove, we have incorporated CohesionXP into our cut level 1 one and 5 gloves. In our cut level 5 range, CohesionXP technology is present in our TG590 Endura and the TG595 Glaze. Both gloves are suitable for heavy-duty tasks and offer a greatly extended life, helping to save money in the long run.

Foam Plus

Offering significant grip and abrasion resistance when handling wet, dry and lightly oiled materials, Foam Plus is a nitrile coating. Unlike standard nitrile coating however, Foam Plus provides outstanding grip when used in damp or mildly oily environments, as it absorbs some of the moisture.

Alongside excellent grip, Foam Plus also provides comfort and dexterity in all conditions, making it perfect for steel erection, automotive, light engineering and telecommunications works. Our TG365 Force contains Foam Plus, with its flexible, close fit feel. It also offers high abrasion tear resistance alongside its excellent gripping power on wet and dry surfaces.

Safety glove materials have come a long way since ‘leather’ or ‘rubber’ were the only two options. Understanding which coating is best for the task at hand is crucial for the user and the coatings discussed not only offer outstanding levels of protection but also grip, contributing further to safety in the workplace.

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