When choosing PPE for your hands, make sure the glove fits the task like…a glove. Depending on the work you’re doing, you may need gloves that are resistant to abrasions, cuts, punctures, chemicals or some other hazard. Different hazards require different materials.

These days gloves are made from a wide variety of materials. Here are the some of the most common types of work glove and what they’re good for.

Leather

These are often good for working with heavy equipment or handling pallets. They provide protection against blows, abrasions, sparks and moderate heat.

Coated fabric

These are slip-resistant and protect against abrasions. They’re good for handling bricks, for example.

Metal mesh or woven Kevlar

These are cut resistant, so use them when dealing with anything sharp. Different gloves provide different levels of cut resistance. Note that cut-resistant gloves are not meant to protect against cuts from powered equipment.

Rubber and synthetic rubber

These gloves provide chemical resistance. If you’re using parts cleaners to clean power tools, for example, these come in handy. Heavy-duty rubber gloves are also good for concrete work. Rubber insulating gloves protect against electrical hazards.

In the winter, you may want to wear insulated gloves and add a glove liner for extra warmth. Find other winter PPE tips here.

If you need Level A protection because you’re working with hazardous chemicals, you’ll need inner and outer chemical resistant gloves.

Check the glove’s ANSI rating to see which ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 standard it meets.

United Rentals practices what it preaches. In this video, Ace Zepeda, the safety champion at Branch L26 in La Porte, TX, talks about the gloves the company provides to employees and customers.