Last updated on : November 20th, 2022 at 05:08 pm
Can latex gloves protect you from electricity? Yes, there is a 100 percent chance of protecting your hands from having an electric shock while wearing a latex glove. But then, there is also a possibility that you will get electrified when it has a hole or has a tear on it.
I think most of us know how well a rubber, glass, plastic, or a piece of fabric can prevent electrical conduction. Although you are wondering whether to use latex gloves for future electrical jobs, covered in this article are some things to remember while using this kind of glove when doing electrical works.
Latex Vs. Electricity
So, can latex gloves protect you from electricity? Yes, they can be provided that they are intact with no holes drilled on them. Latex, however, has high dielectric properties, which makes them ideal for electrical use. Please read my guide about the best glove for electrical work.
Whether they are for the insulation of wires and act as an insulator for electrical protection, some electricians prefer to have a combination of insulators to ensure that they are well-protected.
Some combinations include wearing a leather glove over a latex glove when doing high voltage maintenance over power lines. Doing so can increase the resistivity of the electricity and preventing it from passing through you.
Although you should know what you should know when preparing to ensure your safety while working with high or low voltage electricity. I’ve prepared a checklist for you to find out whether the glove you are using could protect you or potentially harm you in a way.
1. Check the date stamps
According to OSHA, an administration that regulates the standards in work safety enforces the CFR or Code of Federal Regulation that all-electric gloves must be tested periodically before being placed in the market.
To ensure the 100% safety of the possible user, the glove is tested after repair, less or without protectors attached, and to show that there are no defects with the product.
As one of the family components of rubber, latex undergoes a series of tests before it can be considered safe and approved by the regulatory board under good quality. The quality check and testing may last up to several months or so.
2. Glove classification
According to the guidelines in electrical protective equipment, electrical safety gloves are divided into classifications that indicate the level of voltage that the gloves can offer. Please read here what are the benefits of latex disposable gloves.
Let’s take the equipment 00, the lowest at 500VAC at the lowest, and class 04, the highest at 36,00 VAC. The classes differ in types 1 and 2, where they differ in ozone resistance.
3. Add leather Glove as Additional Protection
Adding a leather glove or protector over a rubber one is mostly practiced by electricians, even by professionals. However, it could provide a layer of protection to the susceptible rubbers from possible abrasion, punctures, and cuts.
Although handling small objects requires high hand manipulation, which can be hard when using leather gloves. You can handle small objects as such without these leather gloves. Please read here gloves for handling boxes.
4. Glove Checking
Before using a rubber glove, never forget to check the item before each use. Look for swellings, which can become a major problem. The swelling could be caused by a mixture of products, especially petroleum-based products.
If the gloves show signs of defects upon inspection, do not use them. It is better to use a new one rather than compensating for safety. We don’t want any accidents to happen, don’t we? So it is better to be safe than sorry.
Now, some of you might probably be wondering whether the voltage rating in your gloves has something to do with your PPE or Personal Protective Standard category.
The answer to that query is that it doesn’t. The voltage rating of the glove has nothing to do with the classification of your PPE. The rating of the glove is simply the ability of the glove to withstand the voltage. The arc flash PPE is based on the possible risk that may happen when accidents are possible to happen.
Conclusion
So the question is: can latex gloves protect you from electricity? The answer is yes; they can be provided they don’t have any defects and take precautionary measures like placing a leather-made material over it.