This document gives information on the selection and use of personal protective equipment for the hand protection.

The application of this document requires that the risk assessment has been carried out and the hazards have been minimized accordingly through substitution and technical and organizational measures.

On this basis, this document contains information that supports employers in counteracting certain risks to hands that could not be sufficiently reduced by substitution and technical and organizational measures by selecting and using suitable protective gloves.

This document provides explanations on selection, usage and training applicable to protective gloves. The explanations concerning specific hazards are provided in annexes.

This guidance considers the following risks:

—    mechanical, (see Annex A);

—    chemical, (see Annex B);

—    biological, (see Annex C);

—    thermal, (see Annex D and E);

—    electrostatic discharge (see Annex F);

—    ionizing radiation and radioactive contamination (see Annex G).

This guidance does not cover other risks, because pertinent international or national publications are available or because the relevant information was not available in ISO/TC 94/SC 13/WG 8. Risks not covered include e.g.:

—    cuts and stabs by hand knives;

—    use of chain saws (covered by ISO 11393-4:2018, Annex A);

—    animal bites;

—    needlesticks;

—    electrocution;

—    optical radiation;

—    vibrations;

—    electric fault arcs;

—    firefighting (covered by ISO/TR 21808);

—    sport.