3 Different Types of Gloves That Every Plumber Needs
As you probably already know, a plumber’s number one asset is his hands, and as such, you should be doing everything you can to keep them (and yourself) safe while on the job. Gloves are an essential part of this equation, as they are often a plumber’s first line of defense against the various health and safety hazards they run into on a daily basis – things like chemicals, heat, sparks, or flames when soldering or welding, and raw sewage.
This may seem straightforward enough, but there are still a lot of plumbers who feel that gloves restrict their range of motion, and because of this, stay away from them altogether. While it’s true that some gloves do make a job more complicated or frustrating than it has to be, the risks that come with not wearing gloves should be enough to convince any plumber who enjoys his health to start wearing them. Not all gloves are made the same however, so we did our own research on the three gloves that are most useful to an everyday plumber.
Latex or Nitrile gloves
These thin, moisture resistant gloves are a must have for any plumbing jobs that include exposure to infectious, and other biologically hazardous materials. Remember to wear them on simple jobs like drain cleanings, and during the more complex ones, like installing a new sewer line, as both of these projects involve handling raw sewage. You can also use Nitrile gloves for the same instances, if you’re allergic to latex.
Tip: Most plumbers agree that wearing a pair of these gloves under their normal leather “work” gloves offers better protection.
Drain Cleaning “Work” Gloves
Drain cleaning gloves can be made from leather, PVC (Rubber), or synthetic materials, and are the most commonly used type of glove among plumbers. They offer added protection against the cuts and abrasions that commonly occur when handling a metal drain snake, as well as protection from the sewage and other bodily fluids that follows the snake up. Leather-based or synthetic gloves should be utilized whenever the job calls for physical labor, for increased grip and protection.
Tip: Again, it’s a good idea to wear latex or nitrile gloves under these, and it should be noted that rubber gloves are great for avoiding chemical-related injuries, and offer the most protection when working with commercial-grade solvents.
Welding Gloves
Gloves with a high level of heat resistance are crucial for plumbers that do any kind of welding or soldering work on a daily basis. Typically, welding gloves are made of thick leather, have extra long cuffs to prevent spatter burns, and offer varying levels of fire resistance.
Tip: When choosing a pair of welding gloves, make sure that the gloves you choose match the type of welding work that you will be doing, as different types of welding and soldering come with different temperatures.
Wearing the wrong gloves or no gloves at all is the perfect way to injure your hands on a job. It’s a fact that using gloves on any plumbing job is important, but what’s not so obvious is just how important choosing the right kind of gloves for each job can be.