When you think about it, you spend more time looking at the back of your hand than the palm when working with your hands. The back of your hand is called the dorsal aspect of the hand, and since much work is done with the palms down and the dorsal side exposed, it’s vulnerable. Many times, when hands are injured at work, the damage is done to the dorsal side, which is complex network of small bones, muscles and tendons. Dorsal side injuries are particularly common in oil and gas drilling, mining, and heavy construction.
Glove suppliers and safety experts have recognized for years the damage that impact hazards can cause to the fingers, knuckles and bones in the back of the hand. Many glove suppliers market gloves with specific designs and materials to protect wearers against back-of-hand broken bones, pinching and bruising. Impact-resistant work gloves have unique protective features such as Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) or Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) and proprietary foams that shield the top of your hand from unexpected impact, smashes, crashes and abrasion injuries. Soft, flexible, shock-absorbing pads can be strategically placed along the back of the hand for maximum cushioning while not interfering with how your hands function. These heavy-duty gloves are most commonly used in automotive, oil and gas, construction, heavy equipment operation and towing/transportation industries.