Unprotected Hands Are the Most Injured Part of the Body
Match the glove to the hazard before the work starts
Hands are involved in a huge share of workplace injuries because they are in constant contact with tools, materials, and machinery. Missing gloves, or the wrong gloves for the task, leave workers exposed to lacerations, chemical burns, punctures, and amputations. OSHA Scan analyzes job-site photos to flag workers handling hazards with bare hands or unsuitable gloves before an injury happens.
- A missing hand protection hazard is any task where a worker's hands face cuts, punctures, burns, chemicals, or crush forces without gloves, or with gloves that do not match the hazard. It shows up as bare hands gripping sheet metal or glass, cloth gloves handling solvents, or thin general-purpose gloves used for tasks that demand cut- or chemical-resistant protection.
- In practice, these hazards appear when gloves are removed for 'dexterity' on a quick cut, when the only gloves available are the wrong type for the chemical or blade being used, or when worn-out gloves with holes stay in service. The mismatch is common: a glove rated for abrasion offers little defense against a utility knife, and a leather glove offers no barrier to a caustic chemical.
- The danger is that hand injuries happen in a fraction of a second and are easy to underestimate. A blade slip, a hot surface, or a pinch point gives no warning, and a deep laceration or amputation can end a career, which is why confirming the right gloves for each task from a photo matters before hands go to work.
When are gloves required on a job site?
Gloves are required whenever a hazard assessment shows the hands are exposed to cuts, punctures, chemicals, harmful temperatures, or abrasion. Under 29 CFR 1926.95, the employer must provide and require suitable hand protection for those tasks.
Do all gloves protect against all hazards?
No. Gloves are hazard-specific: a cut-resistant glove offers little chemical protection, and a leather glove will not stop a caustic burn. The glove must be selected to match the specific hazard of the task, based on a documented assessment.
What is an ANSI cut level and why does it matter?
The ANSI cut level rates a glove's resistance to being cut, from A1 (low) to A9 (highest). Matching the cut level to the sharpness and force of the task ensures the glove actually protects the hand instead of giving a false sense of security.
Can workers remove gloves for tasks that need dexterity?
Removing gloves for dexterity is a leading cause of hand injuries. Modern task-specific gloves preserve enough dexterity for most work, so the correct thin, high-dexterity glove should be provided rather than allowing bare-handed work near hazards.