Choose safety work gloves by identifying the hand exposure that remains after other controls, then checking evidence for the exact glove, its fit and whether the wearer can still control the job. A glove is not the right pair because it suits a trade label, looks tough or carries one high mechanical result.
That order matters at the buying desk. “General site work” can include rough timber, sheet edges, wet materials, a cleaning product, a hot surface or moving equipment. Those exposures do not ask for the same glove, and a result relevant to one does not transfer to the rest.
The practical aim is a defensible selection record: describe the task, rule out unsuitable options, check the candidate in normal authorised work, and keep reviewing its condition. It is more useful than a catalogue category because it leaves a clear reason for the model chosen and the limits placed on it.
Build the task record before comparing safety work gloves
The first question is not “What gloves do bricklayers use?” It is “What can contact the hand during this task after the safer controls already in place?” Safe Work Australia describes PPE as a control for risk that remains after higher-order measures have been considered. That means changing a process, separating people from the hazard or using an engineering control can be a better answer than asking a glove to carry the whole risk.1
Write a short record that another buyer or supervisor can understand. It does not need a complicated form, but it should identify:
- the material or substance handled, including its condition;
- the action: lifting, positioning, cutting, fastening, cleaning or another activity;
- where contact can occur: palm, fingers, back of hand, wrist or forearm;
- the edge, surface, liquid, temperature, pinch point or other remaining exposure;
- how often and how long the contact occurs;
- wet, oily, dusty, cold or hot conditions; and
- nearby plant, tools, sleeves and other PPE that affect the choice.
This description separates a glove requirement from a job title. A worker unloading dry packaged stock may need a different profile from someone in the same warehouse handling damaged sheet material. Similarly, “chemical-resistant” is not a complete requirement until the named substance, concentration, contact pattern and product instructions have been checked.
For chemical work, consult the current label and safety data sheet (SDS), then seek manufacturer evidence for the exact glove and chemical. Safe Work Australia specifically uses chemical-resistant gloves selected for the chemical involved as an example, and points to label and SDS information.1 Do not infer compatibility from a nitrile coating, a colour, or a glove that worked with a different substance.
Match the evidence to the governing hazard
Once the task record is clear, identify the hazard that must govern the choice. This matrix is a prompt for evidence, not a ranking of glove types.
| Remaining exposure | Ask for evidence for the exact model | Do not infer from a mechanical marking |
|---|---|---|
| Abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture or impact | The complete mechanical marking, the applicable standard, supplier information and the protected area | Chemical resistance, heat protection, electrical insulation or universal injury prevention |
| A named chemical or hazardous substance | Manufacturer compatibility information for that chemical, plus the label, SDS and use limitations | Compatibility because the glove is nitrile, coated or marketed as “heavy duty” |
| Heat or cold | Product evidence and instructions relevant to the kind of thermal exposure and task | Thermal performance from a cut rating or a thick-looking liner |
| Electrical work | Equipment and PPE selected for the specific electrical hazard under the applicable procedure | Electrical insulation from general work-glove construction |
| Moving machinery or entanglement risk | The task and machinery safety procedure; whether a glove can be used at all | That more grip or a tighter cuff makes the task safe |
ISO 23388:2018 covers requirements, test methods, marking and supplier information for protective gloves against abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture and, where applicable, impact.3 It gives mechanical evidence a defined job. It does not turn a mechanical result into evidence for hazards outside that scope.
That limitation is especially important around plant. WorkSafe WA warns that some gloves may not be safe around machinery and notes that correct fit helps reduce entanglement risk with moving parts.2 A glove should not be selected for a machinery task by analogy. Follow the site procedure and the equipment requirements; in some tasks, wearing a glove may create an unacceptable risk.
Read the marking as an answer with boundaries
A marking can help compare candidates, but it needs to be read in context. It applies to the stated testing and configuration, not automatically to every part of a job. Confirm the standard named, the full marking in its original order, the manufacturer and model, and the supplier information that explains limits and care.
For a deeper explanation of the local mechanical standard, see SiteGrips’ guide on how to read an AS/NZS 2161.3 marking. The related article on what cut-resistant really means explains why cut resistance should never be described as cut-proof.
Ask the supplier to resolve a missing, vague or contradictory claim before approval. A retailer category, an image of a standards icon or a familiar glove material is not a substitute for evidence for the model being ordered.
Confirm the glove can be used without losing control
Documented protection narrows the field; it does not finish the decision. The shortlisted glove has to let the wearer perform normal authorised work with control. WorkSafe WA advises that protective gloves must be compatible with the wearer, the work and other PPE, and calls out manual dexterity, fit, size range, cleaning and replacement as selection considerations.2
Fit is more than comfort. Check fingertip and palm fit, then check the cuff arrangement with sleeves, wrist guards and other PPE during normal authorised work. Check the actual size range rather than assuming one size will suit the whole crew.
Use normal work to assess the remaining candidates while all existing controls stay in place. Observe ordinary handling, reaching, fastening and release. Do not create a sharp-edge, puncture, heat, chemical or slip test to prove a glove. A site check can reveal whether fit and control are workable; it is not a substitute for the laboratory evidence behind a standard.
Record what was checked and why the model was accepted or rejected. WorkSafe WA’s guidance calls for a record of gloves identified and chosen for the task, along with the manufacturer’s cleaning and storage instructions.2 That record is valuable when the task, supplier model or work conditions change.
Set inspection and replacement around condition, not a calendar
A glove’s original marking does not excuse visible damage or contamination. Before and after use, look for worn coating, holes, cracking, loose seams, damaged cuffs, contamination and any change that could affect protection or control. WorkSafe WA advises inspection before and after use and says gloves with obvious weaknesses or faults should be discarded.2
There is no universal replacement interval that is honest for every glove and job. Wear rate depends on the material handled, the action, frequency of use, care and whether the glove is exposed to substances. Instead, use the manufacturer’s care directions and the condition checks in the task record.
Reassess the choice when any of these change:
- the material, chemical, edge condition or surface finish;
- the process, tool, plant or work pace;
- the contact area, duration or environmental conditions;
- the glove model, construction, marking or supplier instructions; or
- reports of poor fit, lost control, unexpected wear or contamination.
For cut-resistant knit gloves, follow the specific care instructions rather than assuming every product tolerates the same washing or drying conditions.
Where SiteGrips Work Site Gloves may fit
SiteGrips Work Site Gloves have a 13-gauge HPPE liner, sandy nitrile palm, and reinforced thumb web and forefinger wear areas. They are available in M, L, XL and XXL, as single pairs and in 6- and 12-pair packs. The product page lists EN 388 4X43F, ISO 13997 Cut Level F, ANSI/ISEA A5, CE Category II and AS/NZS 2161.3:2020.4
Those are useful mechanical facts to compare with a documented mechanical task requirement. They do not establish chemical compatibility, heat or cold protection, electrical insulation, needle protection, waterproofness or suitability around moving machinery. If one of those exposures governs the task, choose a glove with direct evidence for it and follow the relevant workplace procedure.
Where the residual exposure is mechanical and the listed profile, coverage, size and normal-work control checks match the documented requirement, review the Work Site Gloves specifications. Where they do not match, the correct decision is to keep looking rather than stretch the claim.
A final purchase check
Before placing a bulk order, pause over four questions: What exposure remains? What evidence addresses that exposure for this exact glove? Can the wearer control the usual task in the correct size? What would remove the glove from service?
If any answer is vague, the selection is not finished. Tightening the task record, requesting the missing document or selecting another control may take longer than ordering by appearance. It also produces a clearer, safer basis for the decision.