If, in your work environment, there is water, water everywhere, then it’s time to stop and think about how to prevent workers’ hands from becoming wet, cold and ultimately unable to function effectively.
The new Polyflex® Hydro range of water-resistant gloves from Polyco is designed to keep hands dryer for longer without compromising dexterity and comfort. The five gloves in the range all comprise a seamless knitted nylon liner coated with foamed nitrile on the palm. As a result, they are extremely lightweight, cushioning and highly resistant to oil and abrasion. Thanks to a unique treatment to create a liquid barrier around the gloves, they are also highly resistant to water.
Polyco achieved this by washing the gloves in a special hydrophobic (water-repelling) solution, so the barrier applies to the entire product – not just the palm, or the cuff. This ‘3D water-resistance’ could previously only be provided by a fully-coated glove, with all the restrictions on movement and comfort such products typically entail.
The Polyflex® Hydro range, by comparison, is ultra-lightweight, close-fitting and offers excellent breathability. The Polyflex® Hydro C3 and Polyflex® Hydro C5 gloves have the added advantage of a cut-resistant liner (levels 3 and 5, respectively), making them ideal for construction, manufacturing and engineering work, oil and petroleum operations, glass-handling and cutting tasks.
The Polyflex® Hydro TP and Polyflex® Hydro C5 TP feature modified thermoplastic cushioning on the back of the hand, which protects it from impact without restricting movement. The cut-resistant liner of the Polyflex® Hydro C5 TP protects up to cut level 5, and both gloves have an adjustable Velcro® wrist strap and an elasticated neoprene cuff to ensure a secure fit. They are suitable for use in heavy construction, engineering, manufacturing and assembly, logistics and utilities.
The nitrile coating applied to all the gloves is infused with air bubbles to provide a comfortable cushioning effect and enhanced grip in all conditions – dry, wet and oily. It also minimises wear and tear, thus increasing the longevity of the gloves.
The Polyflex® Hydro KC benefits from further nitrile coating on the knuckles, to protect an area of the hand that is particularly vulnerable to knocks and scrapes. These gloves are perfect for tasks typically carried out in port and container work, construction and logistics.
Apart from the Polyflex® Hydro C3, all the gloves in the range feature ‘touch-sensitive’ fingertips, meaning the wearer can use touch-screen machinery or devices with precision and without having to remove their gloves.
Polyco’s head of customer solutions, James Arrowsmith said: “Up to now, keeping hands dry in a wet environment could only be achieved at the expense of flexibility and comfort. With the Polyflex® Hydro range, Polyco offers gloves that are highly water-resistant but still light, breathable and hard-wearing, so workers can carry out their tasks effectively in the most challenging conditions.”