The Importance of Wearing FR Gloves

FR gloves are an essential tool to have in your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) toolkit. Outfitting yourself with the right hand protection can help prevent serious injuries from hazards like extreme heat, flames, arc flash, sharp objects, moderate impacts, and abrasions at work. Purchasing quality gloves that offer combined protection against multiple hazards keeps your hands safe at work without sacrificing the dexterity and fine motor skills that enable you to do your job well.

Your safety is in your hands and gloves are one of the most important flame-resistant accessories you can wear in harsh working environments. To understand the importance of wearing protective gloves, we need to look closely at the injuries gloves can help prevent and an overview of your options when it’s time to purchase.

Why Are Heat-Resistant Gloves Important?

Heat-resistant, flame-resistant, and arc-rated gloves are essential to protect your hands from injuries, radiant and direct heat, flame exposure and burns that stem from electrical shock. The National Safety Council found that hand injuries are one of the most common injuries in the workplace, representing about 18% of total lost-time claims with roughly 200+ hand or finger injuries happening each day.

In fact, protective gloves may be a required part of your PPE, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). If your hands are at risk on the job, whether the hazards are cuts, abrasions, shocks, arc flashes, heat, or burns, you need gloves that offer specialized protection against the risks you face.

FR Glove Standards

Flame-resistant gloves that are also arc-rated will have an assigned Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) listed as calories per square centimeter, such as 41 cal/cm². These gloves must meet the arc protection standards set by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z462) and/or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 70E), which both follow the ASTM F1506 standard for PPE.

Gloves rated for flame resistance and/or arc flashes may also offer protection from cuts. Look for gloves with the ANSI Cut Level A4 distinction, which offer protection against medium cut hazards with up to 2,199 grams of applied force.

What Happens If You Don’t Wear Safety Gloves?

Safety gloves are an important part of PPE in many working environments, from construction and electrical industries to mining and oil & gas. Below are potential injuries that can happen without the proper hand protection and what to look for when buying FR protection gloves:

  • Heat and flames: Look for FR or arc-rated gloves (arc-rated is always flame resistant)
  • Electrical shocks and burns: Look for gloves with ATPV listed in calories/square centimeter
  • Cuts: Look for gloves with ANSI level A4+ cut protection
  • Abrasions: Look for gloves made with durable, treated leather or Kevlar® composites
  • Impacts: Look for gloves that include back-of-hand impact resistance pads
Choosing the Right Gloves for FR Protection

Getting the proper hand protection is easy when you shop with a trusted brand like MWG Apparel which has a long-standing reputation for quality. Our North American-manufactured gloves offer the highest level of FR, arc flash, cut, abrasion, and impact protection you need. We hold every pair to our uncompromising quality control and international standards set by CSA Group, NFPA, ASTM, and ANSI.

  • ENDURA Impact Resistant Glove (CAT 3, ATPV 34 cal/cm²): Durable, flame- and arc-resistant goatskin leather for abrasion resistance and Kevlar® lining for A4 cut resistance; OilBloc™ treated to repel water/oil with back-of-hand impact-resistant pads.
  • ENDURA Superior Driver Gloves (CAT 4, ATPV 41 cal/cm²): Tough goatskin leather resists abrasions with Kevlar® lined for A4 cut protection; treated with OilBloc™ for water and oil repellency and the highest level of electric arc & flame resistance.
  • DEXTERITY Superior Glove (CAT 2, ATPV 9.2 cal/cm²): Thick, 13-gauge Kevlar® composite knit shell is arc- and flame-resistant, increases hand dexterity, and adds level A4 cut resistance. Neoprene palm coating provides added grip in wet/dry conditions; treated with Ultra-Fresh for 99.9% antimicrobial protection.
  • ENDURA Superior Glove (CAT 3, ATPV 36 cal/cm²): Strong, durable FR and arc-rated gloves made with tough goatskin leather for abrasion resistance, fine-gauge Kevlar® composite lining for cut resistance, and a comfortable, custom fit with features like a keystone thumb for dexterity.
All MWG Apparel gloves are available in Medium and Large sizes to offer a comfortable, custom-like fit for most men and women. Shop top-quality FR gloves with MWG Apparel. Our fire-resistant accessories prioritize both comfort and quality. With a wide variety available, we're here to assist with any questions you may have.
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