TECHNOLOGY

On-the-job accidents involving the head, hands, or legs can occasionally put your and the worker’s finances, employment, or even life in danger. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important for workers and helps to protect themselves from the risk of injury. For this reason, PPE should be strong, durable, and comfortable when worn and working. There are various kinds of PPE in the market, and there are also many different types of materials to make PPE. To select the best PPE for workplaces, let’s learn more about high-performance polyethylene (HPPE), one of the most used PPE materials today.

High-performance polyethylene (HPPE) is also known as ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and has the highest level of tensile strength to the mass ratio of any other fiber available. It is 15 times stronger than steel fiber and its molecular structure is slick and chemically inert, HPPE may have better resistance to abrasion compared to other fibers and is stronger when encountering a strong abrasive force.

HPPE can maintain molecular integrity even in harsh working environments such as direct sunlight like summer and hot weather, so it can withstand moisture such as sweat or UV rays.

Thanks to HPPE’s molecular structure, HPPE is easy to customize without weakening whether additives are added or not. Many manufacturers blend HPPE with other materials to make PPE more comfortable, flexible, and nice looking.

These features of HPPE make PPE more abrasion-resistant and cut-resistant, PPE made of HPPE is the best equipment for people who work in workplaces that involve glass, waste recycling, food handling, and automotive manufacturing.

However, because HPPE is a type of polyethylene, it cannot withstand high temperatures. HPPE begins to dissolve at 220 ºF, 104 ºC, which means that PPE products made of HPPE are not suitable for workers working in a high temperature environment.

Palm-coated gloves show higher efficiency in grip, abrasion resistance, water resistance, etc. than ordinary gloves, making them suitable for use in automatic, metal, and construction industries which require dexterity. There are various materials for glove coating such as foam nitrile, latex, and polyurethane and each material show a different performance when coated. These features make it difficult for people to choose the best gloves for themselves.

In this content, we will check the characteristics and differences of foam nitrile, latex, and polyurethane coating, and find out which environment is suitable and the best for each material.

Polyurethane is not bulky but has soft and flexible features, and these features make polyurethane-coated gloves more puncture-resistant and cut-resistant. The flexibility and durability of polyurethane shows good performance in a variety of industries especially those industries who have a higher risk of being cut. However, polyurethane is not recommended at temperatures above 79°C because of its poor resistance to high temperatures.

Latex has excellent durability and provides high elasticity and grip compared to other glove coating materials. Therefore, it is suitable for industries such as construction, waste management, and metal manufacturing. However, since latex can cause allergies, people need to consider its health characteristics before using it.

Nitrile provides excellent comfort, and foam nitrile has a sponge-like structure that absorbs oil or liquid and displaces them, providing excellent grip for the worker in workplaces with oily or wet conditions. Foam nitrile gloves are the best gloves for handling greasy parts, such as metal and machinery, as they show three times stronger resistance to puncture, cut, tear, and oils than regular rubber-coated gloves and can withstand temperatures between -4°C and 149°C.

Workers need industry-specific gloves that can protect their hands against injuries and help them get the job done. Our versatile designs match the glove to the job and provide protection and comfort without sacrificing either. DEX FIT manufactures the most comfortable protective gear around. Our goal is clear: protect and support people from daily injuries and environmental threats. DEX FIT gloves’ high-quality materials naturally move with and conform to your hands, perfectioned finger fit offers good dexterity, and touch-screen capability allows device usage while wearing gloves.

We are committed in providing the most comfortable and safest personal protective products based on state-of-the-art technology. One of DEX FIT’s unique state-of-the-art technologies is the 3D-Comfort Fit. To provide people with the perfect fit, we design gloves in a 3-Dimensional manner, use flexible materials, and apply our unique knitting technology to make the gloves feel like second skin. Thanks to the exceptional snug fit of the 3D-Comfort Fit, workers can perform outstanding dexterity in their various, delicate, and professional work. In addition, there is no such issue as twisting gloves, and DEX FIT gloves' power grip reduces hand fatigue, which can occur when mechanics use tools like screwdrivers.

However, that doesn’t mean DEX FIT gloves look rough. Our gloves use colors that are industry-friendly to better hide possible dust during work. They also have sophisticated and smart patterns that maintain excellent quality.