Safety Gloves for Manufacturing and Assembly
Australian manufacturing runs from automotive component supply and food equipment fabrication to defence and mining equipment build. Assembly work is repetitive and continuous, so a glove that is even slightly uncomfortable ends up on the bench, which makes fit and feel a safety issue rather than a comfort one.
Cut & abrasion
Pressed sheet metal carries burrs at every cut edge, and swarf, strapping and trimming blades add to it. These cuts are shallow, frequent and preventable. The property that addresses them is a cut resistant knitted liner at TDM level C or D, fine enough in gauge that operators keep it on for detailed work.
Repetitive strain
Thousands of grip and release cycles per shift load the tendons of the forearm, and a stiff or oversized glove increases the grip force required for every cycle. The property that helps is a thin high gauge liner with a coating that grips reliably, so the operator applies less force to hold the same part.
Oil & lubricants
Machined components arrive coated in cutting fluid and rust preventative, which makes them slip and causes dermatitis over time. Nitrile foam coatings absorb and channel the oil film away from the contact area, restoring grip where polyurethane would slide, and they resist the oil rather than saturating in it.
What to specify
EN 388:2016+A1:2018 is the base standard, and for assembly work the dexterity grade under EN ISO 21420 matters just as much as the cut letter. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certification is worth requiring for gloves worn continuously against the skin.
Most plants land on a 13 or 15 gauge nitrile foam coated glove for general line work, a higher gauge polyurethane glove for fine electronics and inspection, and a cut level D glove for press shop and sheet metal cells. Touchscreen fingertips are worth adding wherever operators use terminals or scanners.
Recommended gloves
- GRANBERG 0995: Economical cut-resistant gloves for assembly work. Typhoon® fibre with polyurethane coating.
- GRANBERG 0744: Touchscreen compatible assembly gloves with patented nitrile foam coating for oil, wet, and dry grip.
- GRANBERG 0480: Touchscreen-compatible lightweight assembly gloves with PU coating for precision handling.
- GRANBERG 540: Ultra-tough cut-resistant gloves with Typhoon® fibre technology. PU coated for precision handling.
Frequently asked questions
What glove suits an assembly line?
A 13 or 15 gauge knitted liner with a polyurethane or nitrile foam coating covers most assembly work. Use polyurethane where parts are clean and dry and feel is the priority, and nitrile foam where components carry cutting fluid or rust preventative and grip is the priority.
Should gloves be worn around rotating machinery?
No. Any glove can be drawn into a lathe, drill, bench grinder or rotating shaft and pull the hand with it. The correct control is machine guarding, and gloves should be removed for those operations. Specify gloves for the handling tasks around the machine rather than at it.
How do I reduce hand fatigue on repetitive work?
Choose the thinnest glove that still meets the cut requirement, in the correct size, with a coating that grips the part reliably. A glove that slips forces the operator to squeeze harder on every cycle, and a glove that is too large bunches in the palm and does the same thing.