Over the years, the industry has struggled to equate cut resistance with actual risk. The recent updates to the ANSI 105 and EN 388 standards will provide a more uniformed approach to assessing the cut resistant performance of gloves across the globe. While this will make the cut scores more comparable, it will not help safety managers determine which cut score is best suited for the job. The ultimate objective of choosing the right glove for the right job requires equating a glove specification to something more realistic, like risk of injury. It is the intent of this article to outline a new and unique approach to assessing cut risk, which takes a comprehensive look at all factors involved.
Before going further, it is important that we take some time to review the basic fundamentals related to cut-resistant fibers and types of grip coatings.