29 May 05/29/2018
When one thinks of critical safety gear, gloves are sure to be at the top of one’s list. For most all working environments and applications, there is a perfect pair of gloves designed to keep one safe. You wouldn’t drill a hole with a hammer, so why would you start a job wearing the wrong type of gloves for the work?
Waterproof Cut-Resistant Options
Concrete workers almost always need gloves for preventing cuts and scrapes. However, when it comes to working around wet cement, the stakes are raised. Skin burns, which can cause serious injury to the skin, are a major concern when working around this potential hazard. Concrete workers typically require waterproof gloves for keeping their hands dry.
Here are some examples of waterproof gloves that will keep you safe from the elements. Most importantly, these gloves will keep you safe from wet cement.
There are some building materials that don’t require waterproof protective gear. Wet concrete is not one of them. With a pH of 13, wet concrete can eat through both clothing and flesh if allowed to soak in. Ultimately, it means that strong gloves—both waterproof and alkaline resistant—can mean the difference between a job well done and a trip to the emergency room.
The MG9648 is a recent innovation highly sought after by the concrete industry. It was the most requested glove at World of Concrete 2018! This glove’s featherweight, seamless design ensures incredible dexterity and sense-of-touch. Also, it is double-dipped with a PVC/Nitrile bi-polymer creating a strong, leak-proof glove that will hold up under sustained, heavy use. The longer gauntlet provides protection against wet cement splashes, and the textured outer layer offers a good grip.
Be sure to combine the MG9648 glove with a long sleeve Class 3 Hi-Vis shirt, like the LSTSCL3ML, to keep the wet cement off your arms too. This shirt’s mesh wicking material will keep you cool during the summer! For those needing waterproof protection all the way up the arm, consider the MG9696BL.
Nitrile gloves are three to four more times more resistant to puncture than those made of natural rubber, and they’re also more resistant to certain chemicals. This added puncture protection is perfect for abrasive concrete work. With that said, nitrile disposable gloves are the ideal solution for keeping your hands dry and protected from wet cement. MCR Safety has definitely got you covered here, offering seven different colors ranging from black, blue, green, gray, orange, pink, and white.
The 5319 is another ideal nitrile waterproof glove. Its thicker design, along with the flock lining, provide construction and concrete workers with a longer lasting glove. It is ideal for those inevitable clean-up jobs that arise on almost any worksite.
Repeated exposure to rubber gloves can cause people to develop allergic reactions, ranging from rashes that look like poison ivy to asthma symptoms and even death. And if your first-aid kit hasn’t been updated in the last decade, now is the time to grab a box of medical grade 6010G gloves. The last thing you want when you’re treating someone’s burn or abrasion is to make things a million times worse by adding allergic reactions to the list.
High visibility personal protection equipment (PPE) can make a major difference in worksite safety. Whether you’re working with concrete on a roadway or on a construction site, visibility is key to safety. While most people are used to seeing high visibility vests and other gear, high visibility gloves are often neglected because they aren’t mandatory.
The 6410SCHV is a glove offering high levels of visibility, along with the quality and the protection you expect from MCR Safety. Contrasting Hi-Vis colors means nobody will miss you with these on. The glove’s sandpaper finish helps improve your grip with abrasive concrete handling. Lastly, these gloves are waterproof!
The best Hi-Vis waterproof gloves for work during the winter are the 926 and 34411.
Sometimes you can’t limit yourself to concerns about cuts, cold, or chemicals. You also need to think about the potential for something hitting your hand at a high velocity, whether that’s something falling from a height or a piece of fast-moving equipment. Impact absorbing gloves protect hands from the kinds of accidents that can be permanently crippling.
FF2930 manages to combine the latest in impact protection with the flexibility and grip needed in order to work effectively. Testing reveals that they offer back of the hand protection that is 54% more effective at dissipating impact than similar materials while being 57% thinner, and finger protection that is 46% more effective and 37% thinner. You can learn more about these gloves here.
Be sure to check out our concrete section on where we breakdown the PPE workers need when facing a multitude of concrete hazards. Also, you can check out all our waterproof gloves by visiting the .
Lastly, we highly recommend that any employer looking for safety gear education around their specific working applications should register for The MCR Safety 360° Protection Program. We will provide you with a thorough assessment of your operations and make safety gear recommendations.
We welcome any comments, feedback, or suggestions for how we can best protect people at work.
For over 45 years, MCR Safety has proven to be a world leader in gloves, glasses, and garments. Whether it's on the shop floor, an oil rig, a construction site, or shooting outdoors, we are there to provide solutions to workplace (and recreational) hazards. It's all part of our commitment to protect people.
No matter your industry, we have the personal protective equipment you need.
Learn more about MCR Safety by checking out our most recent video. For more information, browse our website, request a catalog, find a distributor, or give us a call at 800-955-6887.
A guidebook for selecting the best quality safety gear for working with concrete.